Favorite Prog albums

Ok, here it is! Full disclosure time! My favorite all-time Progressive Rock albums.

I've divided my list into pre-90's and post-90's categories. If I simply used as a criteria those albums I've listened to the most, then I'm sure all or most of my choices would be in the pre-90's category, because I simply had more time to listen to music when I was younger (the exceptions would probably be the Magellan and Dream Theater albums, as I've listened to them as much as anything else). I also wanted to keep the lists as short as possible, rather than ramble on about 50 or so albums that would pop into mind. As a result, I've excluded a few favorites like King Crimson's Red, Genesis' Genesis (self-titled '83 release), and others. Also, I've included a couple of live albums - one from each era (I'm not counting ELP's Pictures... since there was no studio version of that material).

Also, remember, I've limited this to progressive rock only! I will probably do another post about the non-prog albums sometime. That could be fun. In fact I'm already thinking of a few I'd like to write about...

Anyway, here we go...

Pre-90's:

Kansas : Point of Know Return
Lots of people prefer Leftoverture, or the earlier stuff like Masque and Song for America. All great, and favorites of mine as well, but Point of Know Return just hits me like nothing else. It's just perfect, really. The arrangements, writing, everything. Livgren and Walsh are really on the same page here, it would seem, in terms of the writing (unlike Leftoverture, which was almost completely written by Livgren). It's got an integrated sound and approach throughout, unlike like subsequent Kansas releases that tended to be inconsistent and unbalanced. I first heard PoKR shortly after it was released, and actually had it on 8-track tape back then!

Yes : Close to the Edge
This album just reached in, grabbed me, and refused to let go. That divine organ solo... and then the final cadence ("...now that you're WHOLE"), is possibly the single greatest moment in all rock music. Many years went by before one day deciding to listen to this album again recently. It practically brought me to tears - that's how emotionally satisfying it has always been to me.

Yes : Drama
Gotta love this. Nobody plays bass like Chris Squire. Geoff Downes and Steve Howe work brilliantly together (and they proved it again in Asia, after this band).

Emerson, Lake & Palmer : Brain Salad Surgery
Probably their best and most cohesive effort.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer : Pictures at an Exhibition
Live, raw, powerful, aggressive, young and arrogant!! This is the album that made me want to take up keyboards when I heard it as a kid.

UK : Danger Money
Eddie Jobson once told me he was real proud of this album, and he certainly has every reason to be!

Genesis : Three Sides Live
The early 80's albums Duke and Abacab always sounded a bit tame to me in their studio versions. But live, those songs (which comprise much of the album) shine and are brimming with energy. Then there's the incomparable "In The Cage" medley, captured at its best here.


Post-90s:

Dream Theater : Images and Words and Awake
I've written about these albums before in my How I re-discovered ProgRock post. I still think 'Learning to Live' is one of the most brilliant pieces of arranging I have ever heard in rock.

Magellan : Hour of Restoration and Impending Ascension
I've also written about Magellan before in this blog. See How I re-discovered ProgRock. After I discovered Trent Gardner's music, I was never the same.

Explorer's Club : Age of Impact
Another Trent Gardner project. Haven't listened to this is a long time, but I was absolutely stuck on it in the late 90's. Does any drummer put out as much sound as Terry Bozzio? Awesome. (note: I just checked Amazon.com and it seems a review I wrote there a long time ago has been helpful to some people, so here it is: I'm not really a fan of progressive metal, but I love this cd and was hooked on it for quite a while. Of course, as you would expect, the playing is superb all around -I especially liked Terry Bozzio on drums and John Petrucci on guitar. However, what really makes this album shine is the strength of the compositions themselves. Trent Gardner has written some great music here ! There is a bit of padding throughout (probably needed to accommodate all the solo spots), but the clever contrast in dynamics makes it all flow nicely. My favorite aspect of Gardner's music has always been that the vocals are the focal point - and I really enjoyed the strong performances of all the singers on this project.)

Spock's Beard : The Kindness of Strangers and V
Believe it or not, I had always avoided listening to this band until a few years ago. Don't know why, really. But as soon as I gave them a fair listen, the genius of this band - and especially the super-talented Neal Morse - became evident. These two albums are masterpieces.

Glass Hammer : Live at NEARfest
Another band that I think has more energy live. And the set of music on this album (as well as the Lex Live DVD), simply can't be beat. But I would have liked to see Walter Moore given more lead vocals. Glass Hammer are simply as good as they come in today's prog scene, or in any era.