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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: The Letter M on December 27, 2012, 07:30:52 PM

Title: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 27, 2012, 07:30:52 PM
So I figured instead of ranking things, I'd do something that's a bit more statistical in nature, as only my self-diagnosed OCD would allow... So I'll do this in groups of 5 and start from the lowest of the 50 and do some short little write-ups as to why they're on the list and what makes me play them so much!

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean this is how much I love these albums, as I listen to music in my car or computer and obviously my iPod doesn't count those plays, but the albums listed are a fair representation of where I would rank them based on plays alone, so this list will likely be skewed because of that fact. I've also only had my 80g iPod Classic for about 6 years now, and after a couple of resets and memory-wipes, the data in this ranking only comes from the last 4 years.

50. Vapor Trails by Rush (68 Plays) - This was the band's first new album when I became a fan of them, and it started a whole journey that would eventually lead to me discovering every other band further up this list. Rush was (and still is) my favorite band, rock, prog or otherwise, and this album, when it came out, was played to death in my CD players. It's been so played it's got scratches and wear-marks on it, but I've been hoping for a remaster/re-release to replace it, but no such luck. This album will always have a special place in my heart and it's ironic that it begins exactly at 50 on this list!

49. Stardust We Are by The Flower Kings (71 Plays) - After going through many reviews and suggestions about this band, I went with this album as my first purchase. I wasn't big into double albums at the time (being that I only had two prior to this - Genesis' Lamb and Yes' Tales), so I was weary about this behemoth of an album, but in the end, I loved every second of it. The epic title track blew me away, but it wasn't just that - it was the near 2 hours of music that preceded it that built up to it, it was a huge climax and the pay off was much bigger having listened to the whole album. Definitely a Top 3 TFK album, and worthy of being in any Top 50.

48. Awake by Dream Theater (74 Plays) - The reason why we're all here, this band was suggested to me after having dived into all things Rush, however this album was NOT the first one I bought or listened to by them, but it was in the first few! It took me awhile to warm up to this album, particularly the first three tracks, but the suite "A Mind Beside Itself" really stuck to me, as did the last three tracks. After a couple years, I grew to appreciate, like, and love the album as a whole, knowing more about it's history and how it sits in the timeline of DT albums.

47. Testimony by Neal Morse (74 Plays) - Neal's break-out prog solo album after quitting both Spock's Beard and Transatlantic is a doozy of a double album, and like many double albums, it's got it's lovers and it's haters, who often cry "FILLER". I mean, it's a concept album that tells an autobiographical story - and like all biographical stories, there's bound to be lulls and dull spots, even ones set to music, but I came to this one with fresh and open ears, and so everything fits together for me. Sure there are TRACKS I can't even name to you, or what they sound like, but if you love a whole movie, do you remember every line in the film? I don't, but I do recall the experience and the feelings it gave me, and this album is like that. Full of emotion and feeling, and it always lifts me up when I need to be.

46. Testimony 2 by Neal Morse (76 Plays) - Naturally, when the sequel to Neal's Testimony came out last year, I caught up in terms of plays, and made a playlist of the 2 albums together, creating a 200+ minute playlist of 42 tracks that chronicle Neal's story. This album took what was great about the first one and amp'd it up a notch or two. Arguably one of Neal's best works, this definitely deserves a place here. This was truly a worthy successor to the first Testimony, and the 2nd disc was icing on an already delicious cake. Those 3 tracks on Disc 2 are so good, they even have more plays than the main album, especially "Seeds Of Gold". Normally I play whole albums together, even ones with separate/bonus discs, but in this case, I made an exception since "Seeds Of Gold" is so good!

Thanks for reading and following, for those who will, and I'll post the next 5 tomorrow night!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Cedar redaC on December 27, 2012, 07:42:50 PM
Cool idea dude!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Jiangsu on December 27, 2012, 10:15:33 PM
Very much enjoyed reading, and will look forward to the next instalment.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: lonestar on December 28, 2012, 12:36:54 AM
That's a very solid first five there. :tup
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ReaperKK on December 28, 2012, 07:19:58 AM
Very cool idea, I've only heard two of those albums but I'll keep an eye out for the rest of the list.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on December 28, 2012, 07:33:52 AM
Following.  Ingenious way of changing the rules slightly, and thus not having to wait in the Top 50 line.   :D

Solid 5 albums to start.  When you quantify your plays, have you played each track that number of times, is it a max/min, or is that the sum total of the plays from all the tracks?  Just curious.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: PuffyPat on December 28, 2012, 07:40:02 AM
I enjoy music listening statistics (last.fm is the cause for this), so I will definitely be following.

Good records by the way.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Elite on December 28, 2012, 08:17:03 AM
So, is this the number of times the tracks themselves have been played? So the play count would be the cumulative number of all the tracks or have you actually listened to those albums in full for 70+ times?
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 10:45:30 AM
Regarding questions in terms of number of plays - I listen to my albums top-to-bottom, so when I cite "# Plays", it's for each track of a whole album. Typically if I have to stop listening to an album for any reason, I'll pick it back up later and complete the listen. I hate have incomplete numbers, they all must be the same! :lol

I do have a FEW exceptions, though, like the aforementioned Testimony 2 Disc 2, where those three tracks have about 20 more plays than the main album, but there's only one more incident like that in the rest of the list!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Ryzee on December 28, 2012, 10:52:38 AM
My father is named Marc, and he loves Neal Morse/Transatlantic and everything related like DT, Flower Kings, etc.  In fact- Dad?  Is that you?


Anyway, whether you're secretly my dad or not, cool idea for a thread!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 11:38:23 AM
My father is named Marc, and he loves Neal Morse/Transatlantic and everything related like DT, Flower Kings, etc.  In fact- Dad?  Is that you?


Anyway, whether you're secretly my dad or not, cool idea for a thread!

 :rollin Well, just to be clear, no, I am NOT your father, but your father does have good taste in music! As a hint, there will be more music as you've named on the rest of this list!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: senecadawg2 on December 28, 2012, 12:00:33 PM
Cool idea, I'll be following
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 28, 2012, 12:06:00 PM
I own all 5.  Following!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 12:19:00 PM
So I figured I would go ahead and do two updates a day on this one just to knock them out, so here is the next five!

45. Moving Pictures by Rush (77 Plays) - More Rush, and this time, it's their classic eighth album. I really don't have much to say about this album other than that it's great, but that really speaks for itself. You've got a side of hits, and a side of more experimental songs, but 7 songs that are undoubtedly Rush! Top-notch playing and lyrics, fueled by a rising fanbase at the time, this is an album that will never get old for me.

44. Signals by Rush (79 Plays) - However, the album that followed Moving Pictures would take things up a notch. The use of keyboards really intrigues me on this album, and the opening song really spoke me. "Subdivisions" a Top 20 Rush song for me, and the rest of the album is pretty great, especially the never-played-live "Losing It". Initially, I hadn't liked songs like "Chemistry" or "Countdown", and even "The Weapon", but as the years have gone by, I've grown to love the whole album (as is usually the case). This was an interesting transitional album for them, one that would mark the rise of keyboards and a slight change in their sound, and it's this album that begins a journey that will lead to other albums that will be further up this list!

43. Keystudio by Yes (81 Plays) - Of all the Yes albums to come out in the 90's, this is my most played and most loved (and yes I know these songs TECHNICALLY weren't an album, but they did get released in 96/97). The material comes from the same line-up that made Tales From Topographic Oceans and Going For The One (as well as Tormato), so there's a lot going for it based on that alone! But the songs are well done, and the production is good. It was a shame these songs weren't initially released as a full album in 1997, because had they been, the history of the band since then might have been really different. The 2 side-long epics are worth it alone, but the shorter songs like "Footprints" and "Be The One" are stellar too. I first went into this album expecting another "Tales", but when I learned more about the history of the band, I knew not to expect that anymore, and thus, have come to appreciate these 7 songs for what they are, and how they fit in the over-all history of Yes.

42. Whirld Tour 2010: Live In London by Transatlantic (81 Plays) - Here's a rare case of a LIVE album being in this list, but this is only ONE of TWO that will show up! Being only about 2 years old, this album quickly grew to be one of my favorite live albums of all time - you've got the entire "Whirlwind", as well as all 3 of their other super long epics, plus their 2 shorter ballads, extended and expanded by other performers. It's just an amazing show, and they take the songs to a higher level on this album, especially the longer-than-usual version of "We All Need Some Light"! The epics are on fire, though, and I appreciate the little covers they throw in here and there. And the performance of "Bridge Across Forever" is truly tear-inducing, very emotional and touching. This will undoubtedly be on this list for years to come!

41. The Sum Of No Evil by The Flower Kings (81 Plays) - This was the band's last studio album for nearly five years before going on an unexpected hiatus, and with good reason. Some fans felt this album was derivative of their prior works, and bringing back Zoltan on the drums only cemented that feeling for some, but for me, this album was a HIT, especially after Paradox Hotel, which was quite a different TFK album than anything they had done before. After visiting the hotel, they took the road back home and made an album that sounded familiar, but to me they went harder on this album (a trend that continued on to Banks Of Eden). Some of the themes were heavier and darker, and I liked it for that reason. There's a lot of great playing on this album and while many TFK fans rank this album in their lower tiers (with the likes of Rainmaker and Adam & Eve), it's in my Top-half of TFK albums.

More to come tonight, and FYI, more from many of the same artists/bands already listed! (But I'm sure you all could have guessed that  :lol )

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: wasteland on December 28, 2012, 12:24:53 PM
I'm following this, -Marc.  :metal

You really are a big Rush fan, it seems! And I cannot but agree on what you say about the TA Live album. The extended version of WANSL, the killer setlist and the perfect venue really brought it up a notch above most other live DVDs!

Just a curiosity, how much do you listen to music daily?
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 28, 2012, 12:35:07 PM
Jeez Marc, I have and listen to all of these as well!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 12:36:55 PM
Just a curiosity, how much do you listen to music daily?

If I am at work, I listen to music there as I have some on my computer there. If I am at home and generally doing nothing much, I will always have music playing on my iPod dock. I pretty much live and breathe music, so unless I am being social with other people, or at work, I'll be listening to music!

Jeez Marc, I have and listen to all of these as well!

 :tup Let's see how well you keep up in the remaining 40!!!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on December 28, 2012, 01:37:59 PM
Just a curiosity, how much do you listen to music daily?

If I am at work, I listen to music there as I have some on my computer there. If I am at home and generally doing nothing much, I will always have music playing on my iPod dock. I pretty much live and breathe music, so unless I am being social with other people, or at work, I'll be listening to music!

Jeez Marc, I have and listen to all of these as well!

 :tup Let's see how well you keep up in the remaining 40!!!

-Marc.

Uuuuhhhhh same here, but I have nowhere near as many listens to any albums.  My highest (according to my last.fm) is in the 70 range, and that's just one album.  Next is in the 40 range.  Mind you, I only started scrobbling Sept of last year.

Still though, 80+ listens of something that's only been around for 2 years or so  :omg:.  How deep is your library?  I find myself jumping all over the place, and discovering a boatload of new shit.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 01:45:46 PM
Uuuuhhhhh same here, but I have nowhere near as many listens to any albums.  My highest (according to my last.fm) is in the 70 range, and that's just one album.  Next is in the 40 range.  Mind you, I only started scrobbling Sept of last year.

Still though, 80+ listens of something that's only been around for 2 years or so  :omg:.  How deep is your library?  I find myself jumping all over the place, and discovering a boatload of new shit.

I have nearly 9000 songs on my iPod, and for the last couple years, it's been nearly full to capacity, so much so that I have to pull off music I don't listen to anymore to make room for new stuff!

I do jump all over the place every now and then, although I do tend to find myself listening to two or three bands at a time for a few weeks/couple months, then I move on to a couple other different artists. It really depends on my mood, the seasons, and what I generally feel like at the time - although sometimes it depends on if that band/artist has a new album coming out. I'll generally "gear up" for the new release by listening to the band a couple weeks/a month before the new album, then for about the same amount of time afterwards. I get slightly obsessed :lol

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: wolfking on December 28, 2012, 03:53:07 PM
Fucking love Signals, so underrated.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on December 28, 2012, 04:03:13 PM
Great list so far!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on December 28, 2012, 06:01:46 PM
Cool idea!! I'm following. Signals is my second favorite Rush album, after PeW, so good call on that one.

I thought I was obsessed with music, but over 80 plays for a triple live album :omg: That's over 10 days of listening!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 06:34:13 PM
40. Tales From Topographic Oceans by Yes (83 Plays) - The epic double album by Yes, with four monstrous side-length epics. This took me quite a long time to get in to, as far as double albums go. I think the fact that it was four songs rather than four collections of songs spread over four sides of vinyl (like The Lamb) made it harder to digest. When I was a fledgling progger 8 years ago, songs over 10 minutes long were still tough for me, but 20?! I think between this album, the songs "Close To The Edge", "Supper's Ready", "2112" and "Hemispheres", I grew to love (and now crave) side-long epics. As for TFTO, the opening and closing tracks are my favorite, but the other two have their moments. Not my FAVORITE Yes albums by any means, but it sits in my Top 5.

39. The Light by Spock's Beard (83 Plays) - SB's debut album is my least played SB album, but by no means is it not great! I just find more enjoyable music in every album that came after it (yes, even the Nick-era ones that AREN'T X). However, as debut albums from 90's prog bands go, this is a pretty great one! Three epics and a short pop-rocker, this laid the groundwork for the SB sound and formula, and brought Neal into the limelight of the prog world. And it's for that fact that I hold this album in high regard. One of the strongest debuts (right up there with Kansas's debut, another American Prog band) for a prog rock band, and one of my favorites.

38. Adam & Eve by The Flower Kings (85 Plays) - Here's a more or less unusual culprit, and considering all the music that TFK have put out, it's odd that I find it here, but over the years, I have come to like the whole thing. Not being a double album helps it's cause, they really did trim this one down a bit and you can get a sense that the material was a bit more focused this time around. And while many TFK fans dislike it for one reason or another, I think it's concise and the large line-up on the album helps it instead of hurting it (which some might have felt). The addition of Daniel Gildenlow as a 'full-time member' here helps differentiate the music from it's predecessors through his input. Definitely good, and definitely not at the bottom of my TFK pile!

37. Live In Europe by Transatlantic (86 Plays) - Here is the only other live album on this list, and of course, it's Transatlantic! Before the EPIC Whirld Tour 2010 release, this was it - the key live album by the band. It featured the 3 longest songs from their 2nd album, as well as the 2 epics from their first album! I LOVE the clever cover-integration of the Abbey Road songs with "Suite Charlotte Pike", especially where Pete Trewavas gets to shine with a bass solo! The whole band fires on all cylinders on this performance, and each of the 6 songs are played with inexplicable power and virtuosity! Definitely one of my top 10 live albums of all time! And oddly enough, another album that featured Daniel Gildenlow! What a great addition to the band!

36. Hold Your Fire by Rush (87 Plays) - The album that marks the end of an era for Rush, the 80's Synth Period/their 3rd phase, and also their last studio album with Mercury! Of the 4 80's albums in this grouping, this was the one that I had the most mixed feelings upon at first, but I also grew to love it really fast! Lots of amazing tracks on here ("Force Ten", "Time Stand Still", "Prime Mover", "Lock And Key" and "Mission"), with the only 'stinkers' being the last two tracks, but even after years and years of listening to this album, I've come to at least appreciate "Tai Shan" and "High Water". And while many group this album with Power Windows, I prefer that album over this one. However, this is still a fairly solid album, at least compared to what would come after it. The high amount of synths may turn some fans off, but I love synths and keyboards, and I felt their use on this album had reached the tipping point, so I'm glad they turned back when they did with Presto, but it's that push-to-the-edge experimentation from Geddy that makes me enjoy this album a bit more!

After this batch, we reach albums with 90+ plays, which I'll put 5 more tomorrow morning/afternoon!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on December 28, 2012, 06:43:07 PM
Tales still hasn't entirely clicked with me yet, though I do enjoy it. The Light is excellent and Hold Your Fire is very underrated. Haven't heard the other 2 yet.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Cedar redaC on December 28, 2012, 06:56:35 PM
I only have Hold Your Fire, but they Yes album particularly interests me. The only Yes album I have is Fragile. They all seem like albums I need to check out.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 06:56:54 PM
Tales still hasn't entirely clicked with me yet, though I do enjoy it. The Light is excellent and Hold Your Fire is very underrated. Haven't heard the other 2 yet.

Tales took me YEARS, so be patient with it, and it'll be patient with you. I find that the middle of the album goes through a bit of a lull, but if you have a good and wide attention span, you can focus in on it and find something you'll enjoy.

And yes, HYF is underrated, but then again, it's hard to make a great follow-up to a great album like POW.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 28, 2012, 08:40:08 PM
Ok. I'm 15 for 15.  Bring it on Marc! :lol
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on December 28, 2012, 08:44:41 PM
5 more great picks  :tup
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 28, 2012, 08:55:07 PM
Ok. I'm 15 for 15.  Bring it on Marc! :lol

 :rollin Considering our seemingly similar tastes in music, you'll likely have nearly all, if not all of the albums on my list! Now I want to get through this just to see which ones you DON'T have! haha

5 more great picks  :tup

Thanks!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 29, 2012, 10:44:15 AM
35. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence by Dream Theater (91 Plays) - DT's only double album, and it just happens to my favorite. If anyone recalls the 5 Favorite Albums thread here, my entire list was filled with double albums! Well, in the case of SDOIT, for me, more IS more, and the whole album is the epitome of Dream Theater music! Everything from the heavy "The Glass Prison", to beautiful piano in "Blind Faith" and "Disappear", to the entire 2nd disc suite...when I first listened to this album, it blew me away! I think I can safely say that this was the album that turned me from casual fan to crazed fanatic!

34. Fragile by Yes (92 Plays) - Another timeless classic prog album, I've made a playlist of this album that includes "America", just to expand on the album (as if it were vinyl):
Total - 51:56

Side 1 - 25:59
 1. "Roundabout" – 8:36
 2. "Five Per Cent For Nothing" – 0:38
 3. "Long Distance Runaround" – 3:30
 4. "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" – 2:42
 5. "America" – 10:33

Side 2 - 25:57
 6. "We Have Heaven" - 1:40
 7. "South Side Of The Sky" – 7:58
 8. "Cans And Brahms" – 1:43
 9. "Mood For A Day" – 3:03
10. "Heart Of The Sunrise" – 11:33

It's even more conceptual now that Side 3 opens with "We Have Heaven", and it closes with it with the snippet you hear after "Heart Of The Sunrise", which is my favorite track on the album, with "South Side Of The Sky" right after, and "America" shows, STILL, just what Yes can do with a cover! Of course, "Roundabout" is always good (but one can be burnt out on it with all of it's appearances on live DVD, of which I have PLENTY), and of the solo tracks, "Mood For A Day" stands out for me, and I'm not even a guitar player! The other solo tracks are clever, but the Fish is more interesting, mostly because of it's connection to "Long Distance Runaround". Definitely a favorite Yes album, but still not my most played one...

33. Fly From Here by Yes (93 Plays) - ...especially since this album had caught up in plays since it came out last year! Yes, I was one of the seemingly 50% of fans that truly enjoyed FFH when it came out! Being a huge fan of Drama, this album was like that revisited, only with modern sounds and production. The opening suite is well done, and if you can go into it without expecting "Close To The Edge" or "The Gates Of Delirium", then you can possibly appreciate it more, and for what it is. Of the rest of the album, the last track is really really good, and I only listen to the album with the FULL version of "Hour Of Need", which is a MUCH better song than the album version (and why they cut it, I'll never know, but it was stupid to do so). Definitely in my Top Half of Yes albums, but still not my most played Yes album on this list...

32. Snakes & Arrows by Rush (93 Plays) - Like Vapor Trails, here's another latter-day Rush album that I've attached myself to greatly. I got in to Rush shortly after VT came out, so this was technically their first new full-length studio album to come out after I became a fanatic! At that time, I was already learning dozens of Rush songs on my drums, remembering lyrics and learning so much about the band's history, that when this album came out, I immediately LOVED it, especially the instrumental "The Main Monkey Business"! Within a week, I had learned the song by ear, and recorded me playing it after only practicing it over the course of a single day, and now it's posted on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1nK0dNBhlU). I pretty much love every track on this album, but the run of first 6 songs is just killer, and not a bad one in the bunch. And normally, it's about half-way through the album where things go limp, but not in this case! "The Way The Wind Blows" and the duo of "Hope"/"Faithless" keep up the energy, and even the not-played-live tracks of "Bravest Face" and "Good News First" are pretty good, and don't sound like lackluster B-sides (that are often on the back-end of latter-day Rush albums). Even the closer is pretty good, for which they were hit-or-miss since "High Water". It seems Rush were honing their skills once more, and the progression from VT to S&A was amazing, but they would progress even further still...

31. Hemispheres by Rush (94 Plays) - And while I love 00's Rush, 70's Rush is still classic, and this is one of my favorite of the era! When I first got into Rush, this album amazed me. The opening side-long epic had so many meter changes, I spent weeks trying to figure them out on my own (well, I was only a fledgling progger at the time). The two shorter tracks are pretty good, though after awhile I was burnt out on "The Trees", it's still musically challenging, but the final song on the album, the instrumental "La Villa Strangiato", is what cemented my love for the band. Who else does a near 10 minute instrumental?! And one that is THIS good (and not a bunch of fiddly-diddly improvisation, either). There is so much intensity, even during the quiet section of "A Lerxst In Wonderland", and this is where you really see how powerful this power trio can really be. I took weeks learning the drum part to this song, and after I did, I often used it as a warm-up on my drums whenever I was going to practice (yes, a WARM-UP) because it's so demanding. The power, speed, accuracy, and concentration really helped me focus, and it was songs like this that really made Neil Peart my idol, influence, and inspiration on drums.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 29, 2012, 02:50:05 PM
No shock I have these 5 as well.  SDOIT is my favorite DT album and who doesn't love Fragile, and Hemispheres.  I like S&A a lot and Fly from here is good but not great.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on December 29, 2012, 03:10:05 PM
5 more albums that I have!  :tup I think I have all the albums you are going to list, not 100% sure though.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: TAC on December 29, 2012, 06:09:26 PM
Intersting list and concept.
Vapor Trails..68 plays?? WOW!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 29, 2012, 08:08:08 PM
Thanks everyone! This next batch doesn't have too many (or any?) surprises, especially if you know my tastes at all!

30. A Farewell To Kings by Rush (94 Plays) - Just like the previous album, this is another favorite of mine. I often listen to this album and Hemispheres together, and they so happen to fit onto one single CD-r, for easier listening! Before I had an iPod, this is how I listened to this album, and it worked so well having "Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres" follow right after "Cygnus X-1, Book I: The Voyage"! And besides the closing track, the first side is pretty amazing: the opening title track has just enough meter and tempo changes to keep ANY musicians busy for awhile, whilst "Xanadu" explores new territory for the band. They really amp'd up the PROG dial on this album (and the next). The shorter tracks are good, if a bit different for the band, especially "Madrigal", but in the context of the album, I enjoy it!

29. The Sky Moves Sideways by Porcupine Tree (94 Plays) - Another album that I've made my own tracklist for, combining various ideas from it's 3 different releases, creating a full CD's worth of music:
Total - 75:00
1. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 1" – 18:39
2. "Dislocated Day" – 5:24
3. "Stars Die" – 5:01
4. "Moonloop (Improvisation)" – 16:18
5. "Moonloop (Coda)" – 4:52
6. "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder" – 5:40
7. "Prepare Yourself" – 1:58
8. "The Sky Moves Sideways Phase 2" – 16:48

It's got a sort of "W"-shaped feel, with the title-track epic book-ending the album while the atmospheric "Moonloop" forms the middle of the album, with the shorter tunes around it. It's an amazing album, and quite a few steps forward for the band that started out as a joke. I think one of the reasons I've grown to love this album so much is because of it's Floydian nature, and when I got into Porcupine Tree, I was also discovering Pink Floyd (and King Crimson). I heard so many elements of those bands in PT that this album stuck out to me. I love everything about it, from the epic title track, to the long and journey-like "Moonloop", to the beautiful "Stars Die", the heavy "Dislocated Day", and the touching "The Moon Touches Your Shoulder". Definitely in my Top 5 PT albums, and the first of three on this list!

28. The Incident by Porcupine Tree (95 Plays) - And this is the 2nd of three PT albums on this list. Now, just because it's so high on here doesn't mean I rank it very high, but I do happen to quite enjoy the album as a whole. The song-cycle is unique (well, for PT/SW), and again, it's the band's Floydian aspects that pop up that really excite me about this album! This, to me, was a blending of everything they've done up to this point as it had the heavy metal-esque parts, the softer and more melodic sections, and the proggy/complicated sections, plus the atmospheric Floydian parts. It has it all, and I cannot complain! I do not rank it as low as some fans do, but it's definitely Top 5 PT material in my book, but on this list, it's not the highest PT album...and the most-played PT album on this list just might surprise some of you!

27. Drama by Yes (96 Plays) - My most played Yes album, and definitely in my Top 5. As alluded to earlier, my enjoyment of Fly From Here comes from my love of this album. The opening track "Machine Messiah" was so unlike Yes, yet still very Yes-like, it was a paradoxial perfection. And Trevor Horn didn't do such a bad job being the new Jon Anderson! Sure, they had two new members who helped change the sound, but Yes was always about changing line-ups and styles, whether by design or by accident, and this album was a welcome change after the semi-clunker that was Tormato. Every track on this album is quite different for Yes, and I think I love it even more for that fact - it's sort of the odd-one-out, and albums like that in a long discography of similar music, really stick out to me and, most of the time, I enjoy them! This album also marks the end of their really proggy era, and 1980 certainly was a year for changing prog (see also Permanent Waves and Duke, also two of my favorite albums).

26. ? by Neal Morse (96 Plays) - This album was Neal's first new album when I became a fan of his in 2004/2005. My anticipation for this release was VERY HIGH as I was already in love with all things Neal Morse-related (SB, TA, his first two prog solo albums), so when this suite of 12 tracks came out, it was prog HEAVEN (no pun intended). The guest list on the album excited me even more, with names like Steve Hackett, Jordan Rudess, Alan Morse, and Roine Stolt (3/4ths of TA!), I knew it was going to be epic, and I was totally right! There isn't a moment or a movement on here that I don't dislike. Neal comes up with some fresh melodic ideas and employs his friends in the prog world to help him flesh them out. And it was on this album that Mike and Randy really gel and become a solid team with Neal, giving Randy some more playing room, while letting Mike go crazy on the drums even more (well, maybe not "Author Of Confusion" crazy...). Of all the albums Neal has done, this was, and still is a must-have!

Well...*whew*...there you have it, the end of the first half of this list!!! How are you guys keeping up?  :lol

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 29, 2012, 09:21:08 PM
How am I keeping up you ask?  Buy owning all you've posted.  Loving this list, well, because it's my taste in music. :lol
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 29, 2012, 09:27:17 PM
How am I keeping up you ask?  Buy owning all you've posted.  Loving this list, well, because it's my taste in music. :lol

You know what this means, though - if there's anything on the next half of this list that you DON'T own, you will have to go out and buy it!!! Promise yourself right now that you will, mostly because it would feel weird if you only owns 47 out of my 50... you know you feel that way! :rollin

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on December 29, 2012, 10:25:41 PM
Nice to see Drama so high on your list!  :tup
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on December 29, 2012, 10:58:17 PM
Another 5 that I own!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 30, 2012, 04:32:40 AM
How am I keeping up you ask?  Buy owning all you've posted.  Loving this list, well, because it's my taste in music. :lol

You know what this means, though - if there's anything on the next half of this list that you DON'T own, you will have to go out and buy it!!! Promise yourself right now that you will, mostly because it would feel weird if you only owns 47 out of my 50... you know you feel that way! :rollin

-Marc.

You know I will!  BTW, I'd love to add my love for Drama.  I remember buying that album on a snow day from school in 1979 and my cousin and I walk an hour through the snow to get to a bus stop to go to the mall to get to our favorite music store to buy it. Got back 3 hours later and listened to it twice.  Love it to this day.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on December 30, 2012, 06:11:00 AM
I was never a huge Yes fan, so I only have a few of their albums.  Neal Morse... I love, but don't own any of his solo records.  PT... can't.  I've tried, but they don't put a spring in my step.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 30, 2012, 12:41:29 PM
This is the part of this list where we reach over 100 plays, and the range gets crazy from here on out...

25. Unfold The Future by The Flower Kings (97 Plays) - My 2nd most played TFK album, and rightfully so! It's in my Top 3 TFK albums of all time, and I'll be honest - I love it by sheer length alone. This album is over 2.5 hours long! Heck, the opening track is a half-hour in itself! This was a brave and bold album for TFK, and their almost sudden-change in sound and style took hold of me. The jazz/fusion influence brought in by Zoltan Csörsz impressed me in a way few drummers do, and between his playing and the ability for the band to come up with stunning improvisations REALLY impressed me. This album had everything the TFK could throw in to an album at the time, and then some, and I can safely say I truly enjoy every second of it, from the sometime weird and wacky improv sounds, to the majestic and beautiful symphonic moments.

24. Feel Euphoria by Spock's Beard (99 Plays) - You're probably saying to yourself "Marc, why is FE so high up? Where are the other SB albums?!"...and then you'd stop and think "Well, if he's played FE this much, how much has he played the OTHER 8 SB albums?!". Well, I DO love Spock's Beard, and while the first album for each era (The Light and this) have the fewest plays, I still enjoy both. This was a huge transitional album, and the band was finding their feet, and so the sound is varied across the board. It took me a couple of years and returns to this album to fully enjoy it, but there are plenty of great tracks on here, like "Ghost Of Autumn" and the epic suite "A Guy Named Sid". After getting to know the SB discography pretty intimately, I knew this album had it's place. The playing is still undoubtedly SB, and while Neal's absence is obvious beyond the vocals, I can truly appreciate this album as a band that wasn't quite sure but still pulled it off.

23. Black Clouds & Silver Linings by Dream Theater (103 Plays) - It is interesting that this album is already up here, but with each new DT release since I got an iPod, I've listened to their albums a LOT (so you can guess what that means for ADTOE). Looking back at my iPod, even Systematic Chaos had 67 plays, which put it just out of range for this Top 50, but this album was quite the behemoth when it came out. Six songs, with four being over 10 minutes long?! It was an epic-lovers wet-dream, and surely enough, after the album came out, it excited me to no end! I was one of the half-of-the-fandom to really enjoy the album at release, and I still do. The opening and closing epics are quite different from anything they had done before, and as I've mentioned, that excited me! I still don't really care TOO much for "A Rite Of Passage", but the other three are great. Although to be honest, I'm not sure if this album would be middle-of-the-pack, or top-tier. With 11 albums, I think I could comfortably put this in my Top 6 DT albums (mean, smack-dab in the middle).

22. Permanent Waves by Rush (105 Plays) - This is not the highest play Rush album on this list, but of the this and the two that are left, I can say this is a Top 5 Rush album. This was another transitional album for the band - they had just released two hugh prog albums, but have no shifted a bit to doing some more (seemingly) radio-friendly track, but still making the songs equally difficult! Six songs, all unique and different from each other, but all gems. Of course, who cannot love tracks like "The Spirit Of Radio" and "Freewill", but it was the longer "epics" the close each side that drew my attention. This band still had it, and if anything, was doing it heavier! Like the album that follows it, I really can't say too much more because everything GOOD about this album has already been said.

21. Fear Of A Blank Planet/Nil Recurring by Porcupine Tree (105 Plays) - Like many albums on this list, I listen to it in a different tracklist order, but this one is official - it's the LP vinyl tracklist:
1. "Fear of a Blank Planet" – 7:28
2. "My Ashes" – 5:07
3. "Cheating The Polygraph" – 7:10
4. "Anesthetize" – 17:46
5. "Sentimental" – 5:26
6. "Way Out of Here" – 7:37
7. "Sleep Together" – 7:28
8. "Nil Recurring" – 6:08
9. "Normal" – 7:09
10. "What Happens Now?" – 8:23

Now, whether by design or coincidence, all 10 tracks fit onto a single CD-r, and after Nil Recurring was released, this was (and still is) the only way I listen to this album, and it completes the listening experience for me. I've said all this before in the PT thread (I'm sure), so I'll spare the technical stuff. I will say this, though - this album is probably my favorite PT album, and is the most played on my iPod. It was the band's first new album after I became a fan of them, and my anticipation was high, especially after albums like In Absentia and Deadwing, both of which I loved. When this album came out, I was so blown away that when I found out they were coming to Baltimore (the closest city they were playing), I HAD to go, and I did! It was an amazing show, and I don't save up for concerts...ever. I'm more of a listen-at-home kind of music lover, but this show was worth it. I was on the 2nd floor, above the band on Gavin's side, and being a drummer, I had to get a good look at his kit and his playing. I wasn't too interested in being jammed around people in the pit in front of the band (though I was there early enough to be at the front of the stage and touch SW's shoes if I wanted). From the 2nd floor balcony, I was able to watch all the action, especially Gavin. A memorable night, and an even more memorable album.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 30, 2012, 01:46:57 PM
Got them all again but I have to be honest, I haven't listened to Unfold The Future in a long time.  Sounds like I will have to spin it again.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on December 30, 2012, 01:48:41 PM
Nice! 5 more albums that I have  :tup
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 30, 2012, 05:15:02 PM
Nice! 5 more albums that I have  :tup
Got them all again but I have to be honest, I haven't listened to Unfold The Future in a long time.  Sounds like I will have to spin it again.

Glad you guys are keeping up! The next batch, which I'll do a little later, might have a couple curve balls and throw you guys for a loop!

And kingshmegland - UTF is amazing. The epics are great, but the shorter songs are great too. And as with all long/double albums, listening to it in one go greatly enhances the whole listening experience! There's a greater sense of flow when you hear all of it, especially with the shared melodies and themes throughout.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 30, 2012, 05:20:51 PM
Some just slip through the cracks when you have 15,000 songs on your I=Pod. :lol
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 30, 2012, 05:46:14 PM
Some just slip through the cracks when you have 15,000 songs on your I=Pod. :lol

15,000?! Geez... do you have the 160G? I only have the 80G iPod Classic, and at the time I bought it, it was more than enough, but as the years have passed, it's definitely become not enough! I've been thinking about saving up for a new iPod.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 30, 2012, 05:48:45 PM
Yeah, I have the 160GB and I have about 240 GB of music on my computer.  Music and sports are my mistresses. :lol
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Elite on December 30, 2012, 05:52:40 PM
Great list so far, but this list shows me - once again - that I have to buy a lot more music :P
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Cedar redaC on December 30, 2012, 05:57:04 PM
Great list so far, but this list shows me - once again - that I have to buy a lot more music :P

Dream Theater Forums: Expanding musical tastes and shrinking wallets since 2009.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 30, 2012, 06:48:51 PM
Great list so far, but this list shows me - once again - that I have to buy a lot more music :P

Dream Theater Forums: Expanding musical tastes and shrinking wallets since 2009.

 :lol Very true, and I think, for the better! And now I continue with the next batch of five...


20. Clockwork Angels by Rush (107 Plays) - This is the newest album on this list, and deservedly so, as it's probably my album of the year for 2012. My favorite band came out with an album that rocks harder than any of their past four, and not only that, it's a concept album! The songs are great, the themes are great, and the playing is spectacular. When I first heard "Headlong Flight", I almost had to stop and check it was still 2012 and I wasn't magically transported back to the 1980's when the band had this kind of power! While many aging prog bands show their age as their records mellow out (I'm looking at you, Yes), the rise in strength and power in Rush's albums since Counterparts shows that they aren't slowing down any time soon. This will certainly be a favorite for decades to come, and a Top 10 Rush album for sure!

19. One (Special Edition) by Neal Morse (107 Plays) - Again, here's an album that I listen to with an altered track list, but this was more or less official:
1.   "The Creation"     18:22
2.   "Back to the Garden"     4:26
3.   "The Man's Gone"     2:50
4.   "Nothing to Believe"     3:29
5.   "Author of Confusion"     9:30
6.   "The Separated Man"     17:58
7.   "Cradle to the Grave"     4:55
8.   "Help Me / The Spirit and the Flesh"     11:13
9.   "King Jesus"     4:48
10.   "Father of Forgiveness"     5:46
11.   "Reunion"  9:11

Straight from Randy George's mouth, the bonus disc original songs fit into the story of the album, and so I decided that, after discovering that tidbit, I would only ever listen to the album in it's full 95 minute glory! The first studio album to feature Randy George, this is a trio that is finding it's place as a band, Neal produces some great music on here, and this is why it is one of my favorites of his. The epics are classic Neal Morse, while the shorter tunes like "King Jesus" and "Cradle To The Grave" have the power of pop that Neal always has a penchant for. If anyone has this album, I suggest listening to it in this order! I love it even more with the extra tracks, especially the rocking "King Jesus"!

18. Falling Into Infinity by Dream Theater (110 Plays) - And again, here's an album I listen to with all of it's B-sides, but this time I combine FII album, Cleaning Out The Closet tracks, and FII Demo versions:

 1. Raise The Knife (COTC)
 2. Where Are You Now? (COTC)
 3. Take Away My Pain (Demo)
 4. You Or Me (from the Hollow Years single)
 5. Hollow Years (Demo)
 6. Burning My Soul
 7. Hell's Kitchen
 8. Lines In The Sand

 1. New Millennium
 2. Cover My Eyes (COTC)
 3. Peruvian Skies
 4. Speak To Me (COTC)
 5. Just Let Me Breath
 6. The Way It Used To Be (COTC)
 7. Anna Lee
 8. Trial Of Tears

To me, this is the best possible combination of all the tracks recorded and released at the time of this album, and I truly enjoy the whole album more as a result of this mixing of tracks! The demo versions of TAMP and HY are just stunning and it pains me that they changed them for the album. Likewise, "You Or Me" is just tons better than "You Not Me". The rest of the tracks used are pretty great as they were, and the COTC B-Sides are great prog-pop from a band that was boldly trying new things, especially due to new influences and inspirations brought by Derek Sherinian. I've often wondered what a 2nd album with Derek would have sounded like, but because we'll never know, I put together the best of the era in on playlist I proudly call Falling Into Infinity.

17. Happiness Is The Road (Vol. 1 & 2) by Marillion (110 Plays) - The first of two Marillion albums to appear on this list (and you can probably guess the other), this was the band's first new album when I finally came around to enjoying their music in 2006 or so. This two-volume album had some really special moments, especially on the first disc, which flows continuously until the epic title track. It's like an emotional roller-coaster of music and words, and the title track is one of my favorite Marillion tracks of all time. The 2nd disc is pretty good too, with their more concise and focused individual tracks, with it's closer being a powerful one as well. After the luke-warm Somewhere Else, this album was HOT when it needed to be, and still very COOL as well. It was a stretch to extremes, but no BAD extremes, just across the entire spectrum of great music!

16. Wall Street Voodoo by Roine Stolt (116 Plays) - Here's one that might throw you guys for a loop - a BLUES album! Well, it's chock full of PROG guys, and still quite Flowery, but it's undeniably blues, at least only in the way that Roine could do. By the time this album came out, I was already a huge fan of Roine, through The Flower Kings AND Transatlantic, and so when I learned that he was releasing a solo DOUBLE album, I knew I had to get it, especially with Neal Morse playing and singing as well! When I got it, I was in for quite a different ride than I had ever been, but Roine's soulful playing seemed like familiar ground to me, and it was. The tracks with Neal are eerily TA-ish, but with a hard rock/blues edge that you would never find on a TA or NM record. Through this album's near-2 hours of music, you really get to hear Roine speak through his guitar in way that's unique and apart from his role in The Flower Kings. If you're a fan of TFK/Roine/TA, and aren't a prog-snob/elitist and enjoy music of ALL types, and if you love blues, DEFINITELY get this album. I don't LOVE blues, but I have a greater appreciation for it because of this album.

WHEW...well these write-ups are getting longer and longer, and now we're down (or up?) to the Final 15! The next batch sure is an interesting one, and I'll give you all a hint - it's ONLY TWO BANDS among the next 5 albums!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 30, 2012, 07:02:13 PM
And finally a CD I need to pick up.   Wall Street Voodoo by Roine Stolt.  I love his work in  the FK's and Tranatlantic and Kaipa but never got his solo albums.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 30, 2012, 07:07:18 PM
And finally a CD I need to pick up.   Wall Street Voodoo by Roine Stolt.  I love his work in  the FK's and Tranatlantic and Kaipa but never got his solo albums.

I highly recommend it. It's good old blues and rock & roll, with great emphasis on guitars, but there's some great keyboard work too, especially Neal on Hammond organ!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on December 30, 2012, 07:08:08 PM
Happiness is the Road is a nice surprise. I like Volume 2 a little more than Volume 1, but they are both extremely underrated, especially among fans of the band. Real Tears For Sale, Asylum Satellite #1, This Train Is My Life, and the title track are some of my favorite Marillion songs.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on December 31, 2012, 06:27:31 AM
It's amazing that You OR Me is so much better than You NOT Me, isn't it?  I can't really put my finger on why, but they are night and day, despite being very similar.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 31, 2012, 10:04:45 AM
Happiness is the Road is a nice surprise. I like Volume 2 a little more than Volume 1, but they are both extremely underrated, especially among fans of the band. Real Tears For Sale, Asylum Satellite #1, This Train Is My Life, and the title track are some of my favorite Marillion songs.

It's been a little while since I've listened to it, but you're right, Volume 2 does have some great songs on it, but the non-stop flow of Volume 1 is what gets me, it's quite like a concept album and all the songs just go together seamlessly.

It's amazing that You OR Me is so much better than You NOT Me, isn't it?  I can't really put my finger on why, but they are night and day, despite being very similar.

It is quite weird, and amazing, but I think the chorus is just so much better in it's original format! The band knew what they were doing, and it's a shame they had changed it.

The next batch of songs will coming shortly!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 31, 2012, 10:27:22 AM
15. Power Windows by Rush (125 Plays) - My most played Rush album on my iPod, and with good reason! This album has the perfect blend of guitars and keyboards, 8 powerful songs, all different from each other but all still Rush! Every song is a gem, and is the sole reason I have the screen name "The Letter M" (besides the fact that my name also begins with an "M"). I can't really tell you which songs are my favorites because they ALL are, although I will say that I was, for awhile, burnt out on "The Big Money", I still find it musically interesting! The rest of the tracks are golden, and if you aren't a fan of this album, then I'm sorry for your loss. In the 80's/Synth-Era of Rush, this is the pinnacle, and having said that, I'm kicking myself for not seeing Rush on their last tour leg! :facepalm:

14. Day For Night by Spock's Beard (127 Plays) - And so begins a run of SB albums! This is a good one, not GREAT, but good. The closing suite is one of my favorites, as well as "Crack The Big Sky" and "Gypsy". Of course, the title track is good, as is "The Distance From The Sun", but "Skin" and "Gibberish" are just quite okay, as is "Can't Get It Wrong". This album comes between two better albums, and because of my love for the album that came before it, I found this one not-up-to-par, and like many SB fans, I rank this near the bottom, but by no means does that mean it sucks or I hate it, it just has some of my least favorite SB moments.

13. The Kindness Of Strangers by Spock's Beard (128 Plays) - And speaking of this album, this was one of my favorites early on when I first began listening to SB! "The Good Don't Last", "Harm's Way" and "Flow" are 3 of my favorites, all classic Neal-era SB epics all with great finishes! Then there's the anthemic "June", the best of the shorter songs. the other 3 do a better job than the shorter songs on DFN, and, IMO, are slightly more proggy. Over-all, this is a great SB album, but just misses out in the Top 5.

12. Spock's Beard by Spock's Beard (138 Plays) - Now you're wondering why THIS Spock's Beard album is all the way up here, right? Well, I became a fan not long after Octane was released, so this was the band's first new studio album after I became a fan, and I was QUITE excited for it! At first, I was wondering why it was so different, lots of slow songs and poppier-sounds and even a heavy rocker, and to me it wasn't quite SB, but after years of listening and digesting, I've decided this album was all prog in only the way Nick and company could do it. Of course, as usual, the longer tracks stuck with me ("With Your Kiss" and "As Far As The Mind Can See"), and the opening pair of tracks is one of the best 1-2 punches in the whole SB discography. And while I originally felt tracks 5-9 plodded along, I now appreciate each song for what they are, and find them unique in the grand scheme of SB. This one definitely took awhile to grow on me, but now I enjoy it a lot more. And like the previous entry, it's great, but still misses out in the Top 5.

11. Octane (Special Edition) by Spock's Beard (138 Plays) - This album was the band' newest one when I finally got into their discography, and I even recall buying the Special Edition in my local FYE! I remember reading the back of the package and noticing the group of songs titled "A Flash Before My Eyes", and I knew it was a mini-concept piece and would likely instantly fall in love with it, and I did! The instrumental "NWC" (I still don't know what that means!) is pretty rocking, and the rest of the tracks on Disc 1 are good, on par with what they did on Feel Euphoria, but the tracks on the bonus disc are equally, if not MORE amazing! All 5 of those songs are great and really should have been on the main album and I would not have complained! In fact, I made a CD-r that tacks those 5 tracks at the end of the main album and they all fit! And as a bonus, "Listening To The Sky" ends the album, but on loop, it serves as a nice intro to "A Flash Before My Eyes" (which the band themselves did on the Octane Tour!). Great album, and it rounds out my Top 5 SB albums.

And unlike the other bands on this list, the other 4 SB albums (yet to come) do complete my Top 5!!! Guess you'll have to wait and see which ones are next! The next batch will have quite a bit more variety in bands, though.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on December 31, 2012, 11:39:34 AM
Out of the last two updates, I need to check out the Roine Stolt album. Never could really get into Marillion, but the other albums are all good or better.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on December 31, 2012, 11:48:26 AM
I got in to SB right around the release of Octane as well.  S/T is right at the bottom of my rankings (along with Feel Euphoria), but the other's are right up there.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on December 31, 2012, 01:48:16 PM
Dream Theater Forums: Expanding musical tastes and shrinking wallets since 2009.

Sig-worthy.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on December 31, 2012, 01:50:07 PM
Another round that I have with Power Windows being my all time favorite album.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Cedar redaC on December 31, 2012, 02:03:46 PM
Dream Theater Forums: Expanding musical tastes and shrinking wallets since 2009.

Sig-worthy.

 :lol
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on December 31, 2012, 02:37:26 PM
Power Windows is great. I was really pleased that the Clockwork Angels tour and it was great seeing so many songs from it live.

The Kindness of Strangers is my favorite Spock's Beard album and Day For Night is pretty good too. The self-titled album was actually my first SB album. While it wasn't a very good place to start, I loved On A Perfect Day and Skeletons At The Feast and those two songs made me a fan. Even though its not one of my favorites, its still a decent album. I like Octane as well and She Is Everything is especially great. Nice to see so much SB in this update!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 31, 2012, 04:59:28 PM
Out of the last two updates, I need to check out the Roine Stolt album. Never could really get into Marillion, but the other albums are all good or better.

Marillion took me a couple of years to get into. Unlike The Flower Kings and Spock's Beard (after Dream Theater and Transatlantic), Marillion was a band of many shades that I only saw separately, and not the whole spectrum. Their sound also changed and evolved over the decades, and as a result, sometimes sound like 2 or more different bands! TFK and SB had more unified sounds, and for me, Fish-Era Marillion was, initially, a cheap Genesis knock-off with cheesy 80's sounds. Since then, which was about 5 or 6 years ago, I've grown to appreciate Marillion more, but I still don't LOVE-love them like I do the many other bands on this list.

I got in to SB right around the release of Octane as well.  S/T is right at the bottom of my rankings (along with Feel Euphoria), but the other's are right up there.

The s/t album took me awhile, so I suggest you give it another spin, with fresh and unexpecting ears! :tup

Another round that I have with Power Windows being my all time favorite album.

Good, you're keeping up! :lol And I'll agree, Power Windows is an amazing album! It was, after all, brought to you by ME! :rollin

Power Windows is great. I was really pleased that the Clockwork Angels tour and it was great seeing so many songs from it live.

The Kindness of Strangers is my favorite Spock's Beard album and Day For Night is pretty good too. The self-titled album was actually my first SB album. While it wasn't a very good place to start, I loved On A Perfect Day and Skeletons At The Feast and those two songs made me a fan. Even though its not one of my favorites, its still a decent album. I like Octane as well and She Is Everything is especially great. Nice to see so much SB in this update!

And there's still more SB to come! Two more albums in the next update (coming soon), and 2 more after that!

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on December 31, 2012, 05:26:19 PM
10. V by Spock's Beard (142 Plays) - Here's an album that many consider to be the masterpiece of Neal-Era SB, and I can agree that it's worthy of that title, though it's not my favorite NOR most-played SB album. However, it's got the monstrous epic "The Great Nothing", which, along with the epics on Transatlantic's first two albums, got me hooked on Neal's epic writing. This was solid epic-writing at it's best, and definitely a Top 10 SB tune! The opening track is as great as any SB song ever, and has amazing bass playing by Dave Meros, while "Thoughts Part II" has some awesome vocal parts. The rest of the album ranges from pop to rock to ballad, and while they're good, they're simply overshadowed by the other three tracks. As a whole album, it's definitely better than DFN, slightly better than TKOS, and on par with the next album I'll be talking about...

9. Beware Of Darkness by Spock's Beard (165 Plays) - Who knew that this fledgling prog band would come out of the gate running with a fantastic debut album, and then follow it up with an even better sophomore effort?! While the album's opening AND title track is a George Harrison cover, Neal and company take it to new places, much in the way Yes transformed covers back in the day. Of note are the epics on the album, "The Time Has Come" and the always lovable "The Doorway", with it's "Firth Of Fifth"-esque intro and astounding closing coda! The shorter songs on here are also really good, especially "Thoughts" and "Waste Away". "Walking On The Wind" is the mid-length epic with an anthemic chorus, and "Chatauqua" shows off the band's exemplary acoustic guitar skills! Not a stinker track among the bunch, and definitely a Top 3 SB album for me. It also helps that my girlfriend absolutely loves this album, yet couldn't get into any of the others (even though when we first met, I gave her copies of DFN, V and Snow, she bought BOD on iTunes and hadn't looked back!). Whenever I play this song, we hum and sing along, and it makes me love it even more!

8. A Dramatic Turn Of Events by Dream Theater (178 Plays) - Here's another recent album, one of the newest on this list. This was one of my most anticipated albums of 2011, and it's still a favorite! I can't really say too much more on this album here as I'm sure I've said enough about it on these forums, but I can say that I still play this one regularly, on my iPod, iTunes, in my car and even on my phone! Great songs all around, and the climactic closing set of "Far From Heaven"/"Breaking All Illusions"/"Beneath The Surface" is one of the best of any DT album! Definitely a Top 5 DT album for me, and I hope (though find it hard to think) that DT can surpass this album with their upcoming 12th release!

7. Paradox Hotel by The Flower Kings (200 Plays) - As I have mentioned before, this is my favorite TFK album...well, sometimes it's this, sometimes it's UTF, and other times it's SWA, but this one has the most plays on my iPod, mostly because it was the band's first new album after I became a fan! When I found out it was another double album, I was excited, but when I first got it, I was left wondering why I wasn't enjoying it like I did UTF or SWA. It was different, and the songs are...more like songs. There were less 8-minute mini-epics, there weren't any long improvised jams...but later I found out that most of the album was written acoustically, and done so with more focus towards song-oriented pieces. With that understanding, and the understanding of the album's concept and ideas, I went back to it with fresh ears and I haven't changed my mind since! This was an epic album, which shows MANY sides and facets of TFK, and as I've said plenty of times so far in this thread, this album's uniqueness and different qualities make it a favorite of mine! There's a lot to love on this album, and I've come to enjoy pretty much every song! There are TONS of beautiful moments on here, especially the closing track "Blue Planet" and "What If God Is Alone". Also have to mention "End On A High Note" and "Minor Giant Steps", as well as "Pioneers of Aviation", and of course, the opening epic "Monsters & Men". As they say, variety is the spice of life, and this album has tons of it, whilst still retaining that symphonic and proggy TFK sound they're so well known for!

6. A Tribute To The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway by Rewiring Genesis (204 Plays) - And here's yet another oddball among the bunch! Yes, I *LOVE* the original Lamb, and when I became a fan of Genesis many years ago, I played and played that album to death. Not to the point of disliking it, but I did get tired of it at some point. Fast-forward years later, I learn of this release after hearing Nick's cover of "The Colony Of Slippermen" appear on his MySpace page. I downloaded it and listened to it for WEEKS, hoping there'd be a full album! And to my luck, months later, an announcement! Once I got this album, I stuck with me for months and months! Everything about it is golden - Nick's vocals and drumming, the horn/string/wind arrangements in place of keyboards, the stylistic choices and changes made throughout the album, and the great care and attention to detail they made at keeping EVERYTHING in there the same while making it their own. Unlike other cover albums (Jordan Rudess' The Road Home or various artist band-covers from Magna Carta), they didn't so much ADD to the existing material, nor IMPROVE upon it, but they made it FRESH and INTERESTING, especially to someone who had, after years, grown weary of the original. Like I said, I still LOVE the original, but this version keeps it new for me, and it's definitely one of my favorite albums of all time!

WHEW... five more to go, guys! And as a hint, the top 5 most-played albums on my iPod feature FOUR different bands (just like this batch).

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on January 01, 2013, 06:31:49 AM
Prediction... I&W, Snow, (something by Marillion... Misplaced Childhood?), Close to the Edge, and X.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: wasteland on January 01, 2013, 06:42:13 AM
Sola Scriptura and ? will be surely in there, as well as IAW, as you say  :tup
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Mladen on January 01, 2013, 06:47:02 AM
Dang, M, I started following this way too late. You really have an awesome taste in music.  :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on January 01, 2013, 06:50:11 AM
Sola Scriptura and ? will be surely in there, as well as IAW, as you say  :tup

I was thinking another Neal Morse instead of CttE, but I don't know his albums well enough to say which.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: wasteland on January 01, 2013, 06:52:30 AM
What's CttE? ???

And happy 7k, Tchad!  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on January 01, 2013, 07:09:24 AM
What's CttE? ???

And happy 7k, Tchad!  :biggrin:

Close to the Edge

Yeah, noticed that.  Still not in the Top 40 of :ruben: 's though.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: wasteland on January 01, 2013, 07:13:13 AM
Ah, thanks! I hadn't see your edit, so I didn't know what that could be about  :)
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on January 01, 2013, 08:46:10 AM
Though I have LLDOB I do not have the tribute.  As for the others.  All have massive amounts of spin on my I-Pod.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Elite on January 01, 2013, 09:50:30 AM
He said there would be 4 bands in the last update. 1 band is obviously Spock's beard with both X and Snow (as they haven't been mentioned yet I believe), so that makes room for three others.

I'm going with a Dream Theater album (Images & Words), a Yes album and one by Transatlantic. ? by Neal Morse has already been mentioned, so that one's out unfortunately.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 10:59:48 AM
He said there would be 4 bands in the last update. 1 band is obviously Spock's beard with both X and Snow (as they haven't been mentioned yet I believe), so that makes room for three others.

I'm going with a Dream Theater album (Images & Words), a Yes album and one by Transatlantic. ? by Neal Morse has already been mentioned, so that one's out unfortunately.

Bruce Wayne would be proud! Your deductive powers are strong, however, those guessing Images And Words are WRONG! Sorry to disappoint, but when I was looking at my iPod, both IAW and Systematic Chaos only had 67 plays, falling just outside the Top 50 on this list. Remember, I fell in love with DT early on, back in 2004, and I didn't have an iPod until 3-4 years later, so I had already played IAW to death and back, so unfortunately, it does not appear on this list. However, I really DO love that album, and I'm sure one day it'll catch up.

And for those who have been paying REAL close attention, I said earlier in the thread:

Quote
27. Drama by Yes (96 Plays) - My most played Yes album, and definitely in my Top 5.

So no more Yes albums from me, unfortunately. Although I really do enjoy Close To The Edge AND Relayer a LOT, they both do not appear on this list. Again, they were one of the first prog bands I feel in love with so their plays existed prior to my owning an iPod.

BTW, the next update will be not long from now! Be ready and thanks to everyone who has been reading and following this! It's been fun! :tup

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 01:14:45 PM
Going to split the Top 5 into 3 posts today...

5. X by Spock's Beard (232 Plays) - The Beard's last album is certainly their best since Neal left, and some might say, even better than some of the stuff they wrote WITH Neal! Of the album's 8 tracks, 3 reach over the 10 minute mark, while three more are over 7.5 minutes long! In fact, the shortest piece, "Kamikaze", is an insane instrumental! The four year wait after the self-titled album was well worth it because the boys delivered. Everything about this album is fantastic - the music, the lyrics, the playing, the production (Dave's bass is the best I've ever heard it on here). This album was literally a 10/10 for me, ironically being their 10th album. And while I can praise this album to the moon and back, it still isn't my favorite, nor my most-played SB album, but it certainly is worthy of a Top 5 spot, and definitely, for now, my 2nd favorite SB album. It's so good that I've read so many Neal-Era fans who disliked most of the Nick-Era SB to come around and love THIS album. It's quite a shame that Nick had to go, but he's doing what he needs to do, and I appreciate that. Meanwhile I'm hopeful for Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep, especially since Nick only wrote one of the songs on X, the rest were done by the rest of the band, so if the writing continues in that direction, I'll be pleasantly surprise! It also helps that Al wrote some stuff with Neal! :tup

4. Picture by Kino (236 Plays) - And here's one out of left field: a band that ended up being a one-album side-project, rather than the other way around, this supergroup of sorts put out one hell of a debut album, and it's a shame they didn't make more! Every member comes from a well-established prog band (Pete Trewavas of Marillion, John Mitchell of Arena, John beck of It Bites, and Chris Maitland formerly of Porcupine Tree), and their playing shows it! However, if you're expecting anything along the lines of Transatlantic, you'd be wrong. It's more AOR/Asia-like than anything, but it's STRONG song-writing backs by intelligent lyrics and amazing musicianship. It's a modern-day Asia without sounding dated in the 80's (like the original Asia still sounds). 10 songs along an hour of music, the opening track is the longest, and if you can get through that, you'd love the whole album. This was an album that I fell in love with instantly, and I can always put it on and it'll cheer me up, there is no wrong time to play it! Nothing about this album is bad, other than the fact that it's the ONLY ONE. I've wished for YEARS that Pete, John B, John M, and Chris would get back together to record another album, but it seems they all have been too busy to do so. Such a shame, but at least we'll always have Picture (and the subsequent Demos+Live album Cutting Room Floor).

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Lolzeez on January 01, 2013, 01:16:08 PM
Top 3 are all SB albums right?  :lol
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Elite on January 01, 2013, 01:18:09 PM
No, only Snow is left, mister. Oh, and X is indeed fantastic.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 01:20:18 PM
Top 3 are all SB albums right?  :lol

Someone hasn't been paying attention  :rollin ;)

No, only Snow is left, mister. Oh, and X is indeed fantastic.

And you're correct! On both accounts! :tup

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on January 01, 2013, 01:20:31 PM
I have all the albums from the last two updates besides Kino (if you count the original Genesis). Kino does sound interesting though.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Lolzeez on January 01, 2013, 01:20:45 PM
No, only Snow is left, mister. Oh, and X is indeed fantastic.
Snow  :omg: I can never sit through that from start to finish. Gets boring for me. FLAME WALL.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 01:26:52 PM
I have all the albums from the last two updates besides Kino (if you count the original Genesis). Kino does sound interesting though.

Go check them out, key tracks for me would be "Losers' Day Parade", "People" and "Holding On".

No, only Snow is left, mister. Oh, and X is indeed fantastic.
Snow  :omg: I can never sit through that from start to finish. Gets boring for me. FLAME WALL.

Is it because of it's length, or you just don't like the songs?

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on January 01, 2013, 01:59:39 PM
I love X and Kino.  Kino is a must buy.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on January 01, 2013, 03:38:59 PM
I love X. Its a top 5, maybe SB album for me. Do you listen to it with Their Names Escape Me? I always do, even though that song drags a bit (still a cool concept though).
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 03:42:31 PM
I love X. Its a top 5, maybe SB album for me. Do you listen to it with Their Names Escape Me? I always do, even though that song drags a bit (still a cool concept though).

Of course! I do say "8 tracks" in my write-up! I even went so far as to rip the regular edition, which had some slightly longer tracks, and combine it with the limited edition "Their Names Escape Me", for an album that's full and complete (and just over 80 minutes, actually). I really enjoy that song, and the clever way the names were arranged and used! Very poetic and musical!

The next two are coming shortly...

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 03:58:01 PM
3. Marbles by Marillion (246 Plays) - This is the pinnacle of Marillion albums, their magnum opus, the epitome of their sound! I am, of course, referring to the 2 CD version of the album, which includes ALL of the songs, most notably "Ocean Cloud", one of my favorite Marillion tracks EVER. This whole album, while not a direct concept, is held together by it's four title tracks that describe a boy's playing with marbles and their metaphorical meanings to life. Throughout the rest of the album, we're treated with vignettes, little song stories, and they're all paced so evenly well so as to feel like a concept album. There's highs, lows, quite a few different tempos and styles, but all still definably Marillion. Of course, the standout tracks are "Invisible Man", "Neverland" and the aforementioned "Ocean Cloud", but the shorter tracks are also spectacular, particularly "Fantastic Place", "The Only Unforgivable Thing" and "You're Gone". I mean, I love and enjoy every track on here, but those are highlights. At least I know I am not alone in ranking this so high, or at very least having listened to it so much. After a 2-3 year struggle with trying to like Marillion (from 2005-2006/7), it was THIS album that broke the barrier for me, and I realized my life had been missing Marillion. With this album, it truly was a better way of life!

2. The Whirlwind by Transatlantic (Main album, 401 Plays; Bonus Disc Tracks 1-4, 276 Plays) - It's hard to believe this album is already over 3 years old, but reaching over 400 plays, the main album is a masterpiece for me. When it was announced that Transatlantic were recording a new album, I had doubts they could surpass my previous favorite and masterpiece-of-all-time, Bridge Across Forever, but about 8 months after the announcement and at the time of release, "The Whirlwind" proved me wrong. Every single moment of this album was pure magic, and it was then that I knew these four guys could do no wrong. Each of the song's twelve movements is a song in itself, but the whole is definitely and undoubtedly greater than the sum of its parts. This was an epic concept, driven by emotionally touching melodies, powerful rhythms (especially Pete's bass, and to which I use this album as a benchmark for great bass sound and production), and great lyrics (yes, even the final movement). This was, and always will be, a top 5 album for me, and definitely a desert island disc.

But even more so if you include the 2nd disc! Now, I say above that I count only Tracks 1-4 because I don't really listen to the cover songs too often, as good as they are, but whenever I listen to "The Whirlwind" now, I tack on "Spinning", "Lenny Johnson", "For Such A Time", and "Lending A Hand" as they ARE Transatlantic originals, and while many fans don't find the quality of much of these tracks to be as great as the main album, I think they're just as special. It also amazes me that they had the time to flesh out and record four more original tunes, and have that much material left over! Each track is unique and while they're showing their influences (Yes, The Beatles), the sound is still Transatlantic, and I hope they play one or more of these in their coming years!

Well, that does it for this batch, and only one album remains, and those who have been paying attention should be able to figure it out!? I'll update tonight with my write-up about it! :tup

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on January 01, 2013, 04:27:32 PM
I love X. Its a top 5, maybe SB album for me. Do you listen to it with Their Names Escape Me? I always do, even though that song drags a bit (still a cool concept though).

Of course! I do say "8 tracks" in my write-up! I even went so far as to rip the regular edition, which had some slightly longer tracks, and combine it with the limited edition "Their Names Escape Me", for an album that's full and complete (and just over 80 minutes, actually). I really enjoy that song, and the clever way the names were arranged and used! Very poetic and musical!

The next two are coming shortly...

-Marc.
Didn't catch the part where you said 8 tracks.  :facepalm:

Do you mean that the regular edition's has slightly longer songs than the pre-order edition? I downloaded it from Amazon a few months after the regular release, and then downloaded Their Names Escape Me from iTunes. All together, my version is just under 80 minutes.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on January 01, 2013, 04:39:05 PM
Marbles is one of my favorite albums. When I first got it, I didn't know that there was a double disc version. I liked the single album but I was blown away after hearing the complete album in all its glory. Ocean Cloud is probably my favorite Marillion song of all time. Last June, when they came to NYC for two days, I had to decide which day to buy a ticket for. I came very close to choosing the second day, but for some reason I changed my mind at the last minute and went with the first. Sure enough, they played Ocean Cloud that night! It was probably my favorite concert moment so far.

The Whirlwind is my favorite of the 3 Transatlantic albums. And, I'm sure Snow will be number 1.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on January 01, 2013, 04:40:56 PM
The Whirlwind is awesome. I guess I'll try that Marillion album again, even though I already did give it a fair chance, as well as others. Snow probably is gonna be the #1 pick.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 04:50:03 PM
I love X. Its a top 5, maybe SB album for me. Do you listen to it with Their Names Escape Me? I always do, even though that song drags a bit (still a cool concept though).

Of course! I do say "8 tracks" in my write-up! I even went so far as to rip the regular edition, which had some slightly longer tracks, and combine it with the limited edition "Their Names Escape Me", for an album that's full and complete (and just over 80 minutes, actually). I really enjoy that song, and the clever way the names were arranged and used! Very poetic and musical!

The next two are coming shortly...

-Marc.
Didn't catch the part where you said 8 tracks.  :facepalm:

Do you mean that the regular edition's has slightly longer songs than the pre-order edition? I downloaded it from Amazon a few months after the regular release, and then downloaded Their Names Escape Me from iTunes. All together, my version is just under 80 minutes.

lol It's quite alright. My write-ups are pretty lengthy so I can forgive you skipping a few words here and there. Here's what my track list looks like:
Total - 80:13
1. The Edge Of The In-Between - 10:32
2. Kamikaze - 4:14
3. The Emperor's Clothes - 6:02
4. From The Darkness - 17:10
5. The Quiet House - 9:15
6. Their Names Escape Me - 8:52
7. The Man Behind The Curtain - 7:46
8. Jaws Of Heaven - 16:22

All the tracks but "Their Names Escape Me" come from the regular release edition, which only features those seven tracks. They're all slightly longer, notably the ending to "From The Darkness".

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on January 01, 2013, 05:00:59 PM
I love X. Its a top 5, maybe SB album for me. Do you listen to it with Their Names Escape Me? I always do, even though that song drags a bit (still a cool concept though).

Of course! I do say "8 tracks" in my write-up! I even went so far as to rip the regular edition, which had some slightly longer tracks, and combine it with the limited edition "Their Names Escape Me", for an album that's full and complete (and just over 80 minutes, actually). I really enjoy that song, and the clever way the names were arranged and used! Very poetic and musical!

The next two are coming shortly...

-Marc.
Didn't catch the part where you said 8 tracks.  :facepalm:

Do you mean that the regular edition's has slightly longer songs than the pre-order edition? I downloaded it from Amazon a few months after the regular release, and then downloaded Their Names Escape Me from iTunes. All together, my version is just under 80 minutes.

lol It's quite alright. My write-ups are pretty lengthy so I can forgive you skipping a few words here and there. Here's what my track list looks like:
Total - 80:13
1. The Edge Of The In-Between - 10:32
2. Kamikaze - 4:14
3. The Emperor's Clothes - 6:02
4. From The Darkness - 17:10
5. The Quiet House - 9:15
6. Their Names Escape Me - 8:52
7. The Man Behind The Curtain - 7:46
8. Jaws Of Heaven - 16:22

All the tracks but "Their Names Escape Me" come from the regular release edition, which only features those seven tracks. They're all slightly longer, notably the ending to "From The Darkness".

-Marc.
That's odd. All of your tracks are a few seconds longer than mine, except for From The Darkness which is exactly the same length as your version. Looks like I have the regular edition but most of the songs have a few seconds chopped off by Amazon MP3. As long as I'm not missing anything then I'm happy! Thanks for posting that.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Elite on January 01, 2013, 05:02:43 PM
Why do you have The Emperor's Clothes and Kamikaze swapped?
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 05:05:07 PM
No problem, the case of all the songs except "From The Darkness", it's just a couple seconds of fade-out that were chopped off, I'm sure. Nothing too huge! It's weird, though, that I cannot go back to hearing the shorter version of "From The Darkness", but I can see why they had to cut it short to fit "Their Names Escape Me" on a CD. It's a bit of a lengthy fade-out, but it's perfect for the song!

Why do you have The Emperor's Clothes and Kamikaze swapped?

On the regular release of the album, the two songs were swapped, and upon hearing "Kamikaze" second, I liked it a lot more in that spot. And putting "The Emperor's Clothes" between it and "From The Darkness" provides a good cool-down between them. Also, I like the idea of putting an instrumental track 2nd on the album, just like on Spock's Beard with the 1-2 punch of "On A Perfect Day" and "Skeletons At The Feast".

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: King Postwhore on January 01, 2013, 06:00:57 PM
Marbles and The Whirlwind get major play from me.  Neverland is a top 10 song for me.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 06:07:42 PM
1. Snow by Spock's Beard (407 Plays) - My love for this album is no secret, as I'm sure i've talked about it plenty of times on these forums, and it remains my favorite SB album, as well as Top 5 album of all time. Not only is it a sprawling double album, but it's also a concept album, and a narrative one at that! Along the lines of The Who's Tommy and Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (another favorite of mine), this 104 minute monster of an album covers all sorts of ground, from hard rock, prog, jazz, soft ballads, touching piano melodies, acoustic folk, anthemic stadium rock, heavy metal, and all sorts of other sounds, styles, and genres in between! This is the ultimate Spock's Beard album for me, my favorite from the band, and arguably, also my favorite thing Neal Morse has ever done, past or present!

I'm not sure I could say enough about this album, or all of it's tracks, but I can say that it has gotten me through plenty of tough times, has lifted me out of dark and dull moments, and has helped me get over plenty of hardships and heartaches in the past 7 years that I've had it. A lot of fans think Disc 2 lacks a bit of flair that Disc 1 has, but I think a lot of fans who listen to double albums say that about ANY double album (The Lamb, The Wall, various TFK albums, etc. etc.). I think it's that people who don't have the patience to absorb a whole double album get tired by the 2nd disc, whether it's by impatience or ignorance or ADHD, there's a reward for those who can sit through the whole thing, and find great joy in every minute and moment. Snow was one of the first few double albums I had gotten in to, and while it's a bit long, it doesn't detract from the whole experience. Like I said with "The Whirlwind", the whole is absolutely greater than the sum of its parts, but on this album, some of the parts sound amazing, like "Wind At My Back" (both versions), "Open Wide The Flood Gates", "Love Beyond Words", "Carie", and "I Will Go" to name a few. But really, this album can only truly be appreciated as a whole, and for me, it will remain one of my favorite and most-played albums of all time.

-Marc.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Orthogonal on January 01, 2013, 06:49:19 PM
Cool top 50 list, I wish I had stats like this on my album listens. Doubt it would be anywhere near as much as 400+ an any of them though.

On another note, I've never listened to Spock's Beard, don't know why. I should probably remedy that.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: jingle.boy on January 01, 2013, 07:53:06 PM
I love X and Kino.  Kino is a must buy.

Mental note, must check out.

Snow ... I agree it's their best, and my favorite as well.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: Unlegit on January 01, 2013, 07:54:50 PM
Snow is great!
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: ColdFireYYZ on January 01, 2013, 08:21:26 PM
I loved Snow when I first started listening to Spock's Beard. I kind of got sick of it over time but just yesterday I listened to it for the first time in a while and really enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Top 50 Most-Played Albums on my iPod
Post by: The Letter M on January 01, 2013, 11:52:13 PM
Cool top 50 list, I wish I had stats like this on my album listens. Doubt it would be anywhere near as much as 400+ an any of them though.

On another note, I've never listened to Spock's Beard, don't know why. I should probably remedy that.

Thanks! Glad you followed along! And yes, you should definitely give some Spock's Beard a listen!!!

I love X and Kino.  Kino is a must buy.

Mental note, must check out.

Snow ... I agree it's their best, and my favorite as well.

Yes, do check out Kino. And I will add that Chris Maitland's drumming is fantastic on this album. In some songs, he lets loose in a way that he didn't with Porcupine Tree! Also, Pete's bass playing is great!

Snow is great!
I loved Snow when I first started listening to Spock's Beard. I kind of got sick of it over time but just yesterday I listened to it for the first time in a while and really enjoyed it.

Glad to hear there are more Snow-lovers on this board!!! I hope you guys stick around for when I get to my 2nd Annual Spock's Beard Survivor later this year (after I finish my Neal Morse Survivor).

-Marc.