Author Topic: LLTWM's Top 52 Favourite Albums (Read 17478 times)

Zydar · « **Reply #35 on:** June 27, 2011, 05:59:07 AM »

Quote from: Ħ on June 26, 2011, 03:20:27 PM

WYWH

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #36 on:** June 27, 2011, 09:27:14 AM »

Before I hole myself in the basement and play Mass Effect, here's an update:
40. Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair

I think I've established myself as an old PT lover.

This album contains many of my favourites from the band and is near flawless, although I find the title track drags a bit. Synesthesia is one of the most fun songs the band has ever put out and Burning Sky is their best instrumental besides Moonloop. Still, my favourite on this album is probably Fadeaway. I was pissed to see it eliminated so early in the PT survivor.

One of the most beautiful songs the band has ever recorded. Also, Small Fish is one of the best short tracks ever made.
Favourite tracks: Fadeaway, Burning Sky, Synesthesia, Small Fish
39. Big Big Train - The Underfall Yard

For anybody whose ever heard of neo-prog, this album is similar to that only without the huge derivativeness factor. It is kinda classic proglike in ways, but it has a totally modern and original feel. The band mixes a sort of Genesis influence with a little more atmosphere in places and a few folk elements in places. Also, Nick D'Virgilio is on drums, so you can't go wrong there.

This album also has one of my favourite moments ever, which is the atmospheric brass outro to Victorian Brickwork. Orgasmic.
Favourite tracks: Victorian Brickwork, The Underfall Yard, Master James of St. George
38. Birds and Buildings - Bantam to Behemoth

This album is almost entirely instrumental, with a few incredibly poorly produced vocal parts in the mix just to give the album a "more human feel" as Dan Britton puts it. Dan Britton is not a good singer, and he knows it.

Anyways, apart from that, this album is very diverse and eclectic. The opener, Birds Flying Into Buildings, is definitely the best, and some may take it as 9 minutes of showing off, and they're right. But it's some of the most entertaining instrumental wankery I've ever come across. Other songs are more calm, like Chronicle of the Invisible River of Stone, and then you have more symphonic prog tracks, like Caution Congregates and Forms a Storm. This album is definitely an acquired taste, but it's really enjoyable.
Favourite tracks: Birds Flying Into Buildings, Caution Congregates and Forms a Storm, Battalion, Yucatan 65: The Agitation of the Mass

FretMuppet · « **Reply #37 on:** June 27, 2011, 09:33:36 AM »

Nice to see some UTD appreciation. Fadeaway is an underrated masterpiece

skydivingninja · « **Reply #38 on:** June 27, 2011, 09:36:26 AM »

Wait, you think Moonloop is better than Burning Sky? Jesus Christo...

Cool to see Big Big Train make an appearance, though they never really wowed me from what I've heard.

mizzl · « **Reply #39 on:** June 27, 2011, 10:02:05 AM »

Burning Sky and Fadeaway and Synesthaesia fuck yeah

FretMuppet · « **Reply #40 on:** June 27, 2011, 10:06:45 AM »

Its oooooooonly a number
Its oooooooonly a death

mizzl · « **Reply #41 on:** June 27, 2011, 10:07:44 AM »

Quote from: FretMuppet on June 27, 2011, 10:06:45 AM

Its oooooooonly a number
Its oooooooonly a death

carl320 · « **Reply #42 on:** June 27, 2011, 11:00:44 AM »

Quote from: LieLowTheWantedMan on June 26, 2011, 03:15:45 PM

Plus, it's got Floods. You can hate on Pantera all you want but if you hate that song you have no soul.

I love this song. The outro guitar is very haunting, sends shivers down my spine.

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #43 on:** June 27, 2011, 05:34:17 PM »

37. Camel - Moonmadness

Back to Canterbury. This is my favourite album from Camel, and while it may not be the album with their best song, (belonging to Lady Fantasy on Mirage), I find this one to be their best as a whole. Nothing against Mirage of course, but I just get so much enjoyment out of this album. Picking a favourite is difficult, but the honour would probably have to go to Song Remains the Same. Not really much more to say other than this album kicks ass.
Favourite tracks: Song Remains the Same, Lunar Sea
36. Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient

This was my first Devin album, and it's my favourite out of what I've heard, which isn't much. But I get the feeling none of his albums will impress me as much as this, as this album is pretty much perfect. It's hilarious, it's got great riffs, awesome vocals, and Color Your World. Planet Smasher is also an amazing track and probably comes in 2nd for the best. The heavy parts are really

and the calm parts are really awesomely melodic, it's pretty much a perfect metal album.
Favourite tracks: Color Your World, Planet Smasher, By Your Command
35. Can - Ege Bamyasi

Ooo looky here Can is back. If you were to ask me why I prefer this to Tago Mago, I honestly have no idea. I guess you can say it's a lot easier to take in in one sitting and it's really nice to just sorta kick back and chill to. It's nice and relaxing with the exception of Soup, which is probably the best song. I know many are turned off by the fact the last half is pretty much noise music, but I love it.

Other than that track, it's a really smooth running and relaxing ride. Also, Kanye West ripped off Sing Swan Song which makes me very angry.

Favourite tracks: Soup, Sing Swan Song, Pinch

zxlkho · « **Reply #44 on:** June 27, 2011, 05:37:36 PM »

prog prog prog prog prog prog prog prog prog

SPNKr · « **Reply #45 on:** June 27, 2011, 05:39:19 PM »

Up The Downstair and more Can! This is going to be good.

Portrucci · « **Reply #46 on:** June 27, 2011, 06:23:03 PM »

Quote from: zxlkho on June 27, 2011, 05:37:36 PM

prog prog prog prog prog prog prog prog prog

lol u think Can is prog?

anyway I think I have the same taste as you LLTWM for Can. I prefer Ege Bamyasi to Tago Mago. And I prefer Future Days to Ege Bamyasi

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #47 on:** June 27, 2011, 06:25:32 PM »

Yeah, Can's not prog.

Experimental as all hell, but not quite prog.

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #48 on:** June 28, 2011, 11:22:12 AM »

Ohh look at this 3 not obscure at all albums.
34. Dream Theater - Awake

So yeah this album is really awesome. I like the sort of dark atmosphere it carries throughout and it has many of DT's best songs. It's probably the album I listen to most often from them, as I find that despite it's length it's very easy to take in in one sitting. Not much to say since you all probably know, but yeah.

Favourite tracks: Scarred, Voices, Space Dye Vest
33. Yes - Fragile

This was actually one of the last Yes albums I got. I don't really know why, but I regret it because it kicks ass. I thought the filler tracks were unnecessary at first but I've grown to appreciate them all. This is one of the albums that featured one of the greatest lineups in prog so musicianship is superb as expected. Out of every album I own this one is probably the easiest to just stick in the CD player and listen to at any time. It's really a great album.
Favourite tracks: Heart of the Sunrise, Long Distance Runaround, The Fish, Roundabout
32. The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute

This is a polarizing album for TMV fans. Some think it is wayyyy too long. Some think that too much of it is overly stretched out intros and outros (which I kind of agree with and is my only gripe with the album). But I love every song on it a lot. Sure, it's a little demanding to listen to all at once, but it doesn't bother me so much. Cassandra Gemini is one of my favourite songs of all time even if it does feel a little long sometimes. All the other tracks kick serious ass too. Even though the album has it's flaws, it doesn't mean the songs on it aren't some of the best the band has to offer.
Favourite tracks: Cassandra Gemini, Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus

ReaperKK · « **Reply #49 on:** June 28, 2011, 11:39:35 AM »

I'm not that big of a fan of Radiohead but the album I like the most from them is The Bends

Good choice on Lateralus

<3 Wish You Were Here, the best PF album

Quadrochosis · « **Reply #50 on:** June 28, 2011, 11:42:11 AM »

I'll never understand why people think Fragile is better than any other 70s Yes album.

skydivingninja · « **Reply #51 on:** June 28, 2011, 12:06:41 PM »

I understand why people would think its better than Tormato

Its definitely not as good as The Yes Album though.

Quadrochosis · « **Reply #52 on:** June 28, 2011, 01:15:59 PM »

Quote from: skydivingninja on June 28, 2011, 12:06:41 PM

I understand why people would think its better than Tormato Its definitely not as good as The Yes Album though.

woops, forgot about that one. I really meant the string of albums from TYA through GFTO. I thought Tormato was released in 1980, but then i remembered it wasn't.

ZBomber · « **Reply #53 on:** June 28, 2011, 01:24:51 PM »

I like Fragile slightly better than TYA. South Side of the Sky, Heart of the Sunrise, Roubdabout, LDR, and We Have Heaven are brilliant.

But every Yes album from TYA through GTFO is 10/10.

Zydar · « **Reply #54 on:** June 28, 2011, 01:33:32 PM »

Quote from: ZBomber on June 28, 2011, 01:24:51 PM

I like Fragile slightly better than TYA. South Side of the Sky, Heart of the Sunrise, Roubdabout, LDR, and We Have Heaven are brilliant.

I agree.

I probably rank Fragile as my favourite from them, then The Yes Album, followed by Close To The Edge.

Nekov · « **Reply #55 on:** June 28, 2011, 01:38:10 PM »

Excellent choice with Yes, and I think that was the second best lineup of a band ever, number one would be the same but Tony Levin insted of Squire

I like how much prog there is in your list. There are a lot of things I have never heard of so I have new music now. And by the way, I hate Floods. I had to say that.

ariich · « **Reply #56 on:** June 28, 2011, 02:24:44 PM »

Fragile is good, but those other two are amazing.

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #57 on:** June 28, 2011, 06:24:24 PM »

31. Ash Ra Tempel - Ash Ra Tempel

This album only has 2 tracks, and they're both completely different. The first song, Amboss, starts out slow with a sort of atmospheric Egyptian feel, and then quickly shifts into a frantic guitar-driven instrumental piece. It's like if Jimi Hendrix started up a Krautrock band. The next track is a lot more slow and atmospheric, called Traummaschine, which has a nice buildup. This was actually my first krautrock album, as when I heard descriptions of it I thought I'd love it. And I really did and still do, obviously. I cannot pick between either track, as they are all amazing for their own mood.
Favourite tracks: Both
30. Gentle Giant - Free Hand

This really is the quintessential Gentle Giant album IMHO. Some say it's Octopus, which is understandable, and while this album may not have the awesome riffs of In a Glass House, it's probably their most fun album and really sums up their style well. On Reflection is probably the best track and has perhaps my favourite vocal harmonies in all music. Really, Gentle Giant is all about being proggy and complex while providing a really fun listening experience, and it really shows in this album.
Favourite tracks: On Reflection, Just the Same, Free Hand
29. maudlin of the Well - Part the Second

This is probably the least metal-ish metal album ever made.

But it's also one of the most unique albums I've ever heard. You can't really classify this album at all because there are so many genres in it it's insane. Some are classical, jazz, metal, post-rock, chamber music, ambient, and some more. The violin is one of the highlights of this album, and has many moments to shine. Every track on this album is amazing and picking a favourite would be impossible for me. All I can say is this is a huge recommendation.
Favourite tracks: All

sneakyblueberry · « **Reply #58 on:** June 28, 2011, 06:26:26 PM »

I love Part the Second like a handsome, multi-skilled son.

Portrucci · « **Reply #59 on:** June 28, 2011, 06:31:40 PM »

hell yeah Ash Ra Tempel. Love that album

maudlin are great too

MetalManiac666 · « **Reply #60 on:** June 28, 2011, 11:39:58 PM »

Love PTS.

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #61 on:** June 29, 2011, 10:45:12 AM »

I don't care if some shitty band called Dream Theater released a new song today. Nothing distracts from MY top 50 albums thread, especially not some sub-par prog metal band.
28. Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory

This album used to be top 5, but I think I overplayed it. Now this seems like an appropriate spot for it. Either way, it's still quite an awesome listen. Sure, it's long like all of DT's albums, but this one has the best flow (well, it is a concept album) and is a pretty wonderful thing when listened to as a whole. Even individual pieces work on their own, like Home and Dance of Eternity. The musicianship is outstanding and it has some of the groups best melodies to date.
Favourite tracks: Home, The Dance of Eternity, Finally Free
27. Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink

This is without a doubt one of the most fun albums I own. Golf Girl, Love to Love You, and the title track are all pop songs, yet Golf Girl and the title track are all proggy and quite unique while Love to Love You is meant to be some sort of a mocking of The Beatles, and is also very enjoyable. Winter Wine is less poppy and more prog, but is just as fun as happy as the poppy tracks. Nine Feet Underground is a 23 minute behemoth packed full of jams and keyboard solos which can seem a bit overlong, but really hits the spot if you're in the mood for it.
Favourite tracks: Winter Wine, Golf Girl, Nine Feet Underground
26. Soft Machine - Third

This was probably the biggest grower in my entire CD collection. It has 4 songs, Tales from Topographic Oceans style. All of which are about 18-19 minutes, all of which are completely different from the others, three of which are full blown jazz instrumentals while the other (Moon in June) is a more traditional Canterbury song with lyrics, and none of which are epics in any way other than length. The sax on this album is incredible throughout and my favourite track, Slightly All the Time, features some incredible yet somewhat laid back drumming and a really catchy 11/4 bass riff. This album took about a year for me to like, but once I liked it I played it almost non-stop for a few days.
Favourite tracks: Slightly All the Time, Moon in June

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #62 on:** June 30, 2011, 11:31:34 AM »

Phew, you guys sure love discussing my selections! Anyways, I might do 3 today since I only did 1 yesterday.
25. Yes - Relayer

This is probably Yes' most difficult to get into album aside from Tales. It has 3 tracks, one epic, and two songs close to 10 minutes, like Close to the Edge. Only this album is completely different. In fact, this album is very different from anything else in their discography. It has a lot more of a sort of dissonant sound to it which I really enjoy. Gates of Delirium has what is perhaps their most fun instrumental section ever. Sound Chaser is another one of their best songs and features them at their jazziest. Okay, the "cha cha cha" is annoying, but the rest of the song is really amazing. To Be Over doesn't quite live up to the first two, but is still great.
Favourite tracks: Gates of Delirium, Sound Chaser
24. Weidorje - Weidorje

Alright I'll be surprised if anyone here has heard this one, but it's really great. It's a zeuhl album, so those who have heard Magma might get a sort of Magma-ish vibe from it, but it's definitely nowhere near a Magma copy. The opera/choir vocals aren't really here, but there are still made-up languages being sung. This is also probably one the only non-rap albums you'll hear where the bass kinda overpowers everything else in the mix.

It's also one of the fuzziest basses I've ever heard to the point it's almost like guitar. Just listen to Elohim's Voyage to get what I'm talking about. Speaking of Elohim's Voyage, it's like Halleluhwah by Can in the sense it is an epic length song (16 and a half minutes in this case) that has the same drumming/bass throughout (well, except for in the intro). Yet it manages to work incredibly well and I find the song flies by really fast for it's length. Another great one is Vilna, which begins with a sort of Nintendo-y theme that sounds like it would totally fit in with Space Invaders, but it develops quite a bit throughout.
Favourite tracks: Elohim's Voyage, Vilna, Rondeau
23. King Crimson - Red

So this is probably King Crimson's heaviest and most guitar-driven album. At least in songs like Red and One More Red Nightmare, there are softer tracks too. It also features one of the best songs ever in Starless. DAT BUILDUP! This is definitely one of their easiest albums to get into first listen, although Providence might seem kinda lame at first it's actually really good after you get past their improvisational style.

I don't really know how to describe this album, but it's pretty damned near perfect.
Favourite tracks: Starless, One More Red Nightmare, Red

zxlkho · « **Reply #63 on:** June 30, 2011, 11:38:59 AM »

Red is fucking awesome.

Nekov · « **Reply #64 on:** June 30, 2011, 11:51:18 AM »

So let's see

Red

Relayer

SFAM

In the land of grey and Pink

And also, Who would believe now that my hands are free that my hands are free? I never thought it would ever come to me ever come to me .... I freaking love that song!!!!!!!

Your choices so far are amazing.

Quadrochosis · « **Reply #65 on:** June 30, 2011, 12:12:23 PM »

Yesss relayer is sooo good!

Pols Voice · « **Reply #66 on:** June 30, 2011, 12:25:14 PM »

The Yes Album through Relayer is the best string of albums ever. Five 10s in a row. Going for the One is a 9 for me.

The Gates of Delirium is one of my top five songs of all time. Yes was on fire on that one and Sound Chaser. Keyboardist Patrick Moraz brought some interesting elements to the group. Too bad he was only on one studio album.

Durg · « **Reply #67 on:** June 30, 2011, 01:05:22 PM »

I haven't listened to any King Crimson other than the first one and I just couldn't get into it. I've been thinking that I should sample Red but Napster doesn't have it.

Pols Voice · « **Reply #68 on:** June 30, 2011, 01:14:08 PM »

Quote from: Durg on June 30, 2011, 01:05:22 PM

I haven't listened to any King Crimson other than the first one and I just couldn't get into it. I've been thinking that I should sample Red but Napster doesn't have it.

King Crimson has several wildly different eras, so if you don't like their debut it doesn't mean you won't like their other stuff. I like Red a lot more than ITCOTCK (blasphemy, I know).

Nekov · « **Reply #69 on:** June 30, 2011, 02:29:15 PM »

Quote from: Durg on June 30, 2011, 01:05:22 PM

I haven't listened to any King Crimson other than the first one and I just couldn't get into it. I've been thinking that I should sample Red but Napster doesn't have it.

You can try with Lark's tongues in aspic, or maybe something from the later King Crimson which might be easier for you to dig into. Try Thrak or The Power to Believe.

News: Welcome back, Mike Portnoy!

Author Topic: LLTWM's Top 52 Favourite Albums (Read 17478 times)