Katt's Top 50 Albums v. I bless the rains down in Africa [#1]

[Crow]

THE
01011001
ITEC
Dream Sequencer
TToE
Flight of the Migrator
The Source
The Final Experiment
Actual Fantasy

i don't feel like this is a controversial ranking tbh

guilt machine would be about equal with or maybe even slightly above THE, dunno

[The Walrus]

I really wish I could understand why people like THE. It's just... so... uneventful... The naming convention of the tracklist really bores me too. I want to like it but I can't, apart from the artwork, which is SOOO good. Maybe I should spin a few tracks off it but the best moments don't even approach the worst on 01011001 to me, which is nuts.

[Crow]

like the forever, you have forgotten emotions

[wolfking]

I really wish I could understand why people like THE. It's just... so... uneventful... The naming convention of the tracklist really bores me too. I want to like it but I can't, apart from the artwork, which is SOOO good. Maybe I should spin a few tracks off it but the best moments don't even approach the worst on 01011001 to me, which is nuts.

It's a masterpiece.

What Chad said is right.  I was so excited by the list of guest musicians but was letdown.  None of them showed what they were capable of.  Nothing memorable for me.

[The Walrus]

I cannot fathom how someone can praise the boring THE but say there's nothing memorable on 01011001. You and Chad are so broken! 

Nah... I know 01011001's a minority favorite... but god it's so so so much better than any of the other Ayreon albums to me. Wish more people viewed it the way I do so I could have someone to share the praise with. Same with Poetry... same with a lot of other albums really... 

Who's left? I'm waiting for Evermind to tell me how wrong I am. Then we're complete. 

[Evermind]

So like, most prog nerds will drool over The Human Equation and tell you to listen to that. Which is fine! I think it's horribly overrated...

Okay, good enough I guess, I like 01011001 a lot...

I think THE is incredibly boring, personally, so I understand why you felt bored right away.

How about you fuck right off?

I really like 01011001 tbh, I think some of tracks on it are the best Arjen has ever written. You're also the first person I know who likes Connect the Dots.

I'm in the The Human Equation camp. Best album Arjen has ever put out, and maybe—just maybe—the best album ever. Definitely in my Top 3 overall.

Who's left? I'm waiting for Evermind to tell me how wrong I am. Then we're complete. 

You're welcome, man.

[The Walrus]

AND RIGHT ON CUE!! 

Connect the Dots rules. It's so inoffensive. To this day I do not understand the crap it gets. It's a fun song.

[Evermind]

And it's finger-licking good
(Finger-licking good)

Also as a guy who wrote the Ayreon Discography thread (fuck, I should do The Source), it should be kinda expected I'll pop up every once in a while when Ayreon is discussed.

[The Walrus]

And it's finger-licking good
(Finger-licking good)

And if he comes down, tell him I'll be right here, just staring at the tube - playing his game  See! It's fun!

The next update is gonna be an honorable mention; I'll do one of these every 5 spots until the end. Haters, get ready!

[TAC]

The next update is gonna be an honorable mention; I'll do one of these every 5 spots until the end.

Oh, you mean the last few are actually part of the list??

[The Walrus]

I eat farts.

You don't say! 

[Evermind]

And it's finger-licking good
(Finger-licking good)

And if he comes down, tell him I'll be right here, just staring at the tube - playing his game  See! It's fun!

The next update is gonna be an honorable mention; I'll do one of these every 5 spots until the end. Haters, get ready!

https://youtu.be/OpWO_byqSr8?t=124

[425]

To be honest, I thought this was held in higher regard than it seems to be (which is why I guessed ItEC instead of it). I kind of thought it was the consensus #2 Ayreon album, which seems not to actually be the case.

Definitely my favorite Ayreon album, even though I'm not wild about Connect the Dots and Web of Lies. The epics are just so good. I sort of see your point about THE, though I like it better than you do (I'd rate it a strong second in the Ayreon discography).

[Evermind]

THE > TTOE > TDS > 01

I know I'm also in the minority though.

The common consensus is I think THE > ITEC > 01. I'm not sure though.

[The Walrus]

To be honest, I thought this was held in higher regard than it seems to be (which is why I guessed ItEC instead of it). I kind of thought it was the consensus #2 Ayreon album, which seems not to actually be the case.

Definitely my favorite Ayreon album, even though I'm not wild about Connect the Dots and Web of Lies. The epics are just so good. I sort of see your point about THE, though I like it better than you do (I'd rate it a strong second in the Ayreon discography).

My man! I dig your taste...

[Lethean]

I'll chime in with good news and bad - I think 1001001 SOS is a really good album and have no issues with it being on this list.  I'm not the biggest fan of some of the singers on this one, but it has Jonas Renske so that automatically raises it a few levels.

But... The Human Equation is still better. 

All in all though - I don't really see how anyone can think one album is awesome and the other is boring.  They're both good.

I do however, agree with jingle that there might be too many singers on 01, and I also feel that way about The Source - maybe even moreso about The Source.  I'd like him to scale back on the number of singers just a little and let the ones who are any given album have some more lines.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I'd say vocally 01011001 isn't Arjen's best, since I do feel some of the singers get a bit crowded and don't stand out that much, but musically I think it's one of the best albums he's done. I guess I'm also partial to it since it was my first Ayreon album (and one of the first three albums I ever bought).

[425]

My man! I dig your taste...

Also, this album can't be that weak, vocally, if it gave us Floor Jansen and Jørn Lande duetting.

[bl5150]

Apart from Star One I have always struggled with Arjen's stuff -  I can't put my finger on it but there's always something missing.  Possibly something to do with my regular struggle with concept albums period - with a very few exceptions I normally feel that the music has been shoe horned into the story whether it fits properly or not.    Among my thousands of albums that sit there not listened to , I stumbled upon another of his the other day called Guilt Machine which I presumably picked up because someone was raving about it.  Anyone got thoughts on that one?

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I like 01011001, but it's not Ayreon's best

Here's my controversial list:

The Human Equation
Into the Electric Castle
The Source
The Final Experiment
01011001
Universal Migrator (really it's all one album)
The Theory of Everything
Actual Fantasy

[jingle.boy]

Maybe I should spin a few tracks off it but the best moments don't even approach the worst on 01011001 to me, which is nuts.

You're absolutely right... that is nuts!

Look, 01 has some great highs, but on the flipside, some equally 'great' lows.  Add the issues with the quantity and crowded nature of the vocalists, and it's just middle of the pack in the Arjen discog (for me).  I think it's pretty clear that THE is the consensus #1; ITEC #2 - just look at the full-album shows that Arjen has (is) put(ting) out.  I would've thought the Universal Migrator albums would be 3a/3b, then The Source/01 ??

@ Brent ... I'd classify Guilt Machine is Steampunk Ayreon.  It's pretty good, but if *you* struggle with Ayreon, you'll either hate or love Guilt Machine.

@ Ruslan... yes, you do need to finally do a writeup for The Source!

[TAC]

I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.

That's a whole other problem...

[TAC]

I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.

That's a whole other problem...

Among the many!

[Cool Chris]

Won't speak as to Ayreon's best, but 01 is easily my favorite, the one I listen to the most and enjoy the most start to finish. Count me in with those who don't "get" THE.

I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.

It took me a long time to give Ayreon a spin but I am glad I did, one of my top bands I was introduced to via this forum.

For anyone interested in checking out Ayreon, the 3CD Timeline set is a great "Greatest Hits"-type collection.

[TAC]

"Greatest Hits" generally translates to "Most Boring".

[Crow]

it's not like ayreon has actually had any hits ever tho

most ayreon projects are album experiences tho so i wouldn't recommend that collection

[TAC]

What is the heaviest most ass kicking album by Ayreon, and who are the vocalists?

[Crow]

flight of the migrator is the heaviest one for sure

[TAC]

flight of the migrator is the heaviest one for sure

Who are the vocalists?

[Crow]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing

[TAC]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing

I've heard of Bruce Dickinson.

I do like Fabio Lione.

Not in love with Sheepers or Allen, and I definitely don't care for Damien Wilson.  I'll check it out though.

[The Walrus]

"Greatest Hits" generally translates to "Most Boring".

Since when? WTF is this based on? 

[The Walrus]

Look, 01 has some great highs, but on the flipside, some equally 'great' lows.  Add the issues with the quantity and crowded nature of the vocalists, and it's just middle of the pack in the Arjen discog (for me).  I think it's pretty clear that THE is the consensus #1; ITEC #2 - just look at the full-album shows that Arjen has (is) put(ting) out.  I would've thought the Universal Migrator albums would be 3a/3b, then The Source/01 ??

Yeah the consensus is that THE is the favorite followed by ITEC (which I actually do like a lot, it's my #2), but the prog world also goes gaga for stupid fucking SFAM and Threshold who has - Lethean, look away - made a decades-long career out of the same variation of a half-dozen crappy midtempo mechanical riffs so I doubt the larger community's taste. *takes Denis Leary sized drag of cigarette* Any excuse to bag on Threshold, I take.

[425]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing

I've heard of Bruce Dickinson.

I do like Fabio Lione.

Not in love with Sheepers or Allen, and I definitely don't care for Damien Wilson.  I'll check it out though.

You really, really should at least check Into the Black Hole, which is Bruce's song. It's the best song on the album and an absolutely vintage Bruce performance.

Yeah the consensus is that THE is the favorite followed by ITEC (which I actually do like a lot, it's my #2), but the prog world also goes gaga for stupid fucking SFAM and Threshold who has - Lethean, look away - made a decades-long career out of the same variation of a half-dozen crappy midtempo mechanical riffs so I doubt the larger community's taste. *takes Denis Leary sized drag of cigarette* Any excuse to bag on Threshold, I take.

Since you're bringing up the word "midtempo," I'll go ahead and confess one of my Ayreon takes:

I think one of the things (not the only thing: I don't tend to love Arjen's lyrics) that keeps Ayreon in the "like but don't love" category for me as a band/project is that so many of the songs are in a pretty similar tempo, especially on the longer double albums. Sometimes they slow it down, but they rarely go above mid-tempo. I'd really like to hear those albums broken up with some tracks where they up the BPM just a little bit. To be honest, that's part of why Flight of the Migrator is probably my #3 Ayreon album.