Um, this is what I came up with, believe it or not: number 91 spun up.
http://eu.rymimg.com/lk/s/l/52ac7fa9...93/1209332.jpg
The very, very first album and very first post in my journal, ever. Who would have believed it?

Is everyone happy with doing this or do you want me to spin again?

The point is to do every album whether we like it or not. The only time we shouldn't be doing a review is if it has been done before like Selling England By the Pound:)

Fair enough, after all we did suffer through Ian Anderson's flute-u-like, so why not? This'll be easy to do for me. Expect my review ... now.
:laughing:

Years ago I used to really like Ian Anderson's flute and even went to see JT live in the 00's. Now after the reviewed album, I'd be hard pressed to even sit through one of his albums again.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...econds_Out.jpg
Album title: Seconds out
Artiste: Genesis
Nationality: British
Year: 1977
Subgenre: None; pure Progressive Rock
Player(s): Phil Collins (Lead vocals, Drums), Mike Rutherford (Guitars, Bass), Steve hackett (Guitars), Tony Banks (Keyboards), Chester Thompson/Bill Bruford (Drums) (Bruford only drums on “Cinema show”) Note: Although I'm not going to root it out of my record shelf, I'm fairly sure the album inlay mentioned and showed Daryl Steurmer on guitars too, but the Wiki entry doesn't have him listed...?
Familiarity: Like total man! Genesis are my favourite band of all time!
Favourite track(s): Supper's ready, Cinema show, Firth of Fifth, Afterglow
Why? This was the first time I ever heard “Supper's ready” and it blew my mind/ditto for the other three. This album started off my love affair with Genesis.
Least favourite track(s): “Robbery, assault and battery”
Why? I ended up identifying Genesis with mythological, classical and fantasy lyrics (wasn't far wrong!) and this song was too “ordinary” to me, too rooted in the real world. I also never liked Collins' East End accent on the coppers when he sang. I've grown to tolerate the track now but it's never been a favourite of mine.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? n/a
Artwork: Not bad if a little minimalist. Certainly gives you the idea of a big stage with a serious band on it, and the lights dwarfing them always spoke to me too, the way they're almost pouring the light down on the band like rain.
Factoids you'd like to share? As I say, this was the first Genesis album I ever heard (other than a crappy cassette copy of “Foxtrot”) and so weirdly Collins was the voice I originally linked Genesis with. It is also the very first album ever to be reviewed in my journal!
Initial impression: When “Squonk” opens proceedings you know something dramatic is happening
End impression: Hard to beat the full version of “Supper's ready”, and after “Los endos” they go back into an instrumental of “Squonk” which fades out, sort of bringing the album full circle and giving you the impression that the gig never really ends.
Comments: I've written a full review of this on page one of my journal, back in 2011, but suffice to say it was the very first Genesis album, the first live album and the first progressive rock album I ever had. I think I got it in some sort of swap with a guy at work, having heard “Foxtrot” as above. Pretty sure I didn't buy it. My copy was and is on vinyl, which somehow lends more majesty I feel to the recording, though I did later get a CD copy. The versions of “Firth of Fifth”, “Cinema show, “Afterglow” and “the Lamb” are worth the price of the album alone, and then you have the massive epic “Supper's ready”, clocking it at a tremendous 24:33, and I must admit I've always preferred this version to the original with Gabriel. Who said heresy? It's also interesting to see snippets of other tracks like “The musical box” but then an extended version of “I know what I like” on the album, but I could have done without “Robbery, assault and battery”. Any other track off “Trick of the tail” would have been preferable.

This is an album I'll always love, for getting me into Genesis and via them into prog rock, and also giving me an idea what it must have been like to have been at a gig, long before I could ever afford to go to one. Some idiot who works for “Rolling Stone” apparently once said that the album was “nothing more than a recreation of their studio recordings.” I guess that lack of insight and total outright wrongness proves why he worked for that less than esteemed rag! I have yet to come across a live album on which the versions are so different from the studio ones. This showed them all how to do it!
Rating: 5.0 (Was there ever any doubt?) ;)

Remember that the rest of us humans have until Sunday to review this ok:D

I have read what you've written and I shall try and be as objective as possible when reviewing it.

Remember album due in by tomorrow night, so get listening as its 95mins long (yawn Phil Collins for 95 mins) but seriously for any not aware the album is an interesting documentation of a large chunk of the band's early history.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...econds_Out.jpg
Album title: Seconds out
Artiste: Genesis
Nationality: British
Year: 1977
Subgenre: None; pure Progressive Rock
Player(s): Phil Collins (Lead vocals, Drums), Mike Rutherford (Guitars, Bass), Steve hackett (Guitars), Tony Banks (Keyboards), Chester Thompson/Bill Bruford (Drums) (Bruford only drums on “Cinema show”) Note: Although I'm not going to root it out of my record shelf, I'm fairly sure the album inlay mentioned and showed Daryl Steurmer on guitars too, but the Wiki entry doesn't have him listed...?
Familiarity: Early and Peter Gabriel era know very well and have most of the albums. Never cared much for the Phil Collins era, so my knowledge is patchy on the Phil Collins era.
Favourite track(s): The Carpet Crawlers, Firth of Fifth, Supper's Ready and Cinema Show.
Why? The Carpet Crawlers a calming track that flows so well. Tracks like Firth of Fifth and Supper's Ready are just quintessential Genesis and Supper's Ready has always been one of the great extended tracks from the classic prog era, where musical perfection was always expected. Cinema Show is probably one of my all time favourite tracks by the band and just so whimsical.
Least favourite track(s): Robbery, Assault and Battery
Why? As Trollheart said it's ruined by Collins' East End accent. It's meant to be I guess some kind of colloquial touch by Collins and it falls down badly. This type of this was done so much better by other British bands in the 1960s.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? I knew it was a live document by the band and on previous listening years ago, I thought it was the best recording I'd heard of by the band post-Gabriel era.
Artwork: Very minimalist 1970s and yes it gives a clear clue that this could be a live album.
Factoids you'd like to share? This was the first album ever reviewed in Trollheart's journal, I checked and it's true;)
Initial impression: Strangely enough the album has prompted me to listen to all of Genesis' discography again, largely in an attempt to make me to trawl through the Phil Collins era albums.
End impression: A very accomplished documentation by the band.
Comments: Trollheart stated that this might be the best place to start for any new Genesis fan, I actually disagree with that and think the album is more designed for an existing fan to really appreciate the extra musicians being used in Chester Thompson and Bill Bruford and to hear Phil Collins sing on some of the Peter Gabriel classics. Talking of Phil Collins as a vocalist, he does a great job in keeping the Genesis spirit alive here but the problem is he lacks the truly great expressive style of Peter Gabriel and you therefore know you're getting second best (which is still very good considering the guy is really a drummer) Overall I've tried to be as objective as possible concerning Phil Collins as to sit through his solo stuff is punishing, but maybe on listening to the band discography again, I may warm to him a bit more.

Rating: 4.0

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...econds_Out.jpg
Album title: Seconds Out
Artiste: Genesis
Nationality: British
Year: 1977
Subgenre: ???
Player(s): Phil Collins (Lead vocals, Drums), Mike Rutherford (Guitars, Bass), Steve hackett (Guitars), Tony Banks (Keyboards), Chester Thompson (Most Drums)/Bill Bruford (A Few Drums)
Familiarity: I own every last one of the band's studio output, but this is the first live album I've heard.
Favourite track(s): Dance On A Volcano, Supper's Ready and Firth Of Fifth.
Why? I'm a big fan of all the Trick Of The Tail material obviously, but its also a lot of fun hearing Collins tackle the band's early epic calling card. I personally think he's on par with Gabriel here...
Least favourite track(s): None
Why? Not much of a Genesis fanboy either way: even when the performances aren't perfect, atleast they're interesting. That's what really matters in a live record.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? None really. Genesis has always been a very professional outfit both during and after the Gabriel era, so Seconds Out is a pretty cool snapshot of where they were in the late 70's.
Artwork: *yawn*
Factoids you'd like to share? Peter Gabriel has a solo career!!!11111
Initial impression: OOOH YEAH HONAYY, TIME FOR SQUONK!
End impression: Los Endos? Give me Ripples damn it!
Comments: Not really the best place to start if your a Genesis fan, but seeing as its one of the only two live recordings of their 70's era, its certainly recommended as a followup to anyone who has gone through the band up to and including Trick Of The Tail. Not sure why people always say Gabriel is a better singer than Collins: they've got such a similar timbre anyway that it doesn't make much of a difference to me. However, I suppose if you are a victim of 80s-Collins-Overload, I can see why his voice would be a detriment to the ears. But hey, I've also met people who don't care much for Gabriel's 80's output too, so you really do find all kinds out there...

Rating: 3.5

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...econds_Out.jpg
Album title: Seconds Out
Artiste: Genesis
Band Origin: Surrey, England
Recorded: Paris, France
Year: 1977
Genre Progressive Rock
Band Members:
Tony Banks: Keyboards RMI Piano, Mellotron, Arp
Phil Collins: lead vocals, percussion, drums on "Robbery, Assault and Battery" (during keyboard solo), "Firth of Fifth", "The Musical Box", "Supper's Ready" (during "Apocalypse in 9/8" section), "Cinema Show" (during keyboard solo) & "Los Endos" Seconds Out - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Steve Hackett Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, 12 String
Mike Rutherford Bass & 12 String
with:
Bill Bruford drums, Cinema Show
Chester Thompson
n.b.Seconds Out was recorded in 1977, and Daryl Stuermer joined as a touring musician in 1978.

Familiarity of the Album: I haven't heard of this album til now. I don't quite know why I skipped this one. I still have to dig deeper into it.

Familiarity of the Band: One of my all time favorite bands, definitely in the top 10. Between Trick of the Tale and Duke is a shady area in which I'm not too familiar with.

Favourite track(s): Robbery, Assault and Battery
Why?
During the first instrumental solo break, Tony solos on a synth (2:20) and switches over the organ and at (3:00) Steve sustains a barely audible note which precedes to get louder then Tony switches over to the Mellotron, a recipe for goosebumps.

I don't know Phil found his voice yet on this tour, but he did a fair job enough. Phil Collins sings with different character voices, which was something Peter Gabriel did from the beginning. It's along the lines as Harold the Barrel except it's about crime and Phil sings all the parts which could be confusing. I really like the whimsical delivery of the different characters especially crook who got away and the copper with the East End accent.

Least favourite track(s): Supper's Ready
Why?
I love the song just not the version found on Seconds Out. It's lags and lacks the power and emotion of the Gabriel-era band. Peter Gabriel owns the song, no doubt about it. I'm not saying it is a counterfeit but it's just that Peter's personality is stamped on the original recording. It's just that Phil is another personality all together, it just seems that he's trudging along in someone else' footsteps. Also Phil skipped over the all important nonsensical speech Peter would give as the other band member would tune up their guitars. It was a total let down.

Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad?
I am partial to live albums. I was looking forward to it.

Artwork:
State of the art for it's time. It captures the 200 jumbo jet lights and ginamous fog machine..."special effects that would make a Hollywood mogul proud." The set marks a change from the slide shows and costumes that were the hallmark of Gabriel-era concerts. It gives you the impression "It was a dark and stormy night..."

Factoids you'd like to share?
Steve Hackett was taken out of the mix after he left the band. I wasn't particularly fond that... oh well such is band politics. Seconds Out has a double meaning. One is when the fighters' ring crew must leave the ring. Maybe this alludes the fact the Peter Gabriel, and Steve Hackett (as well as other members) left and the three left were those who were left were the three boxers willing to fight it out so to speak. They also played in an old boxing ring in Dublin.

Initial impression: Since TH mentioned Suppers Ready I jumped straight to that song first. Not what I expected.

End impression: The best version of Supper's Ready done live is done proper by the whole band with Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett.

Comments:The very first live album I heard was Genesis Live, a tape own by my cousin, for me that is the pinnacle of live Genesis. I had to go back to Genesis: Live and give it another listen, imo it's the best recorded live show that was officially released. I also like 3 Sides Live, The Longs, and The Shorts. There are many bootlegs and live radio shows however I haven't the opportunity to hear them to compare them to a concert that was officially released. Some rare live footage that exist and has been released on youtube and they are worth checking out. I doubt if anyone is interested but anyway check out Supper's Ready live in Shepperton 1973.

Rating: 3.5
Compared to Genesis Live 5/10

Some great reviews here and I think the question over the Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins as vocalists is actually a good debate anyway. I'm getting the overall feeling that apart from myself, not too many of you see much difference between the two quality wise.

Also Neopolitan's score would be a 3.5 on our matrix.

hey US if I was include in that compliment, thanks! :)

It was my first review here. I scanned around the thread to see if it was on a scale from 0 to 5 or 1 to5 or 1 to 10. I didn't know so I used the 10/10 scale just to avoid decimals in fractions. I did go back and edited to be compliant to your matrix.

I like Phil's vocals on the post-Gabriel era material. It seems natural to hear Phil's voice on songs he recorded. Peter Gabriel haunts the songs Phil sings from the Gabriel-era, and I think for people who know the two eras, in the back of thier mind they are comparing the two - I know I sometimes do. Peter Gabriel had a post-modern/existentialist stage presence. Phil Collins had his own comedy schtick. I heard he would do Steve Martin impersonations and stick the tambourine down his pants for yucks. But Peter was also known for a bit of humour of his own. Like showing up in his wife's red dress wearing a fox head mask without the bands prior knowledge or democratic consent.

Don't be silly, of course you weren't included;)

I'd say this was a very good round-up of the two vocalists and it does seem that comedy was a key element of the band, which is no surprise given the humour that was associated with a lot of prog bands from that era.

Guys, apologies for the lack of a selection for this week but as detailed in the Journals Update thread I've had a hell of a week-and-a-bit. :rolleyes:

Do you want me to grab one now, or just wait till Sunday? Who else has to review "Seconds out?" It would be two days lost on the review time but if you want me to rack up the next one I'll go ahead. If you'd rather wait, I'm easy with that too.

Also, welcome Mister Anderson to our humble club. Nobody can tell you what the PRAC is, you have to see it for yourself ... oh wait.

Great reviews too guys. As I said in mine, I wasn't so much comparing Gabriel to Collins because at the time SO was the first Genesis album I ever heard, so that version of SR has always stuck with me as being the definitive.
I must say, the version of "Watcher of the skies" on "Three sides live" is pretty damn good too, though 3SL suffers from too much material from "Abacab".... okay I'm going now...

We guessed it was something to do with your sister and once again all the best to her and and it's certainly important that you stay fit as well.

Just get around to putting the next album up when you can. I suggest either doing it like now though or waiting until next Monday:D I think DJ is the only review left to come in, but our old china Nepo seems to have come on as sub for him;)

Yeah I may have some time to get around to it tomorrow or Thursday. Been pretty busy this past weekend and Monday.

OK guys I spun and 41 was the number. Thought this was going to be an all-Genesis thing?? :shycouch:
Ah well, someone convince me. I'll give it a listen...
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Brain salad surgery --- Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Reviews in by say Tuesday as I'm a day late picking this.

Never really liked ELP that much but that is actually a great album and looking forward to hearing it again.

Good pick. I did the easy part (listen to it) and now for the hard part...

Remember Tuesday for the ELP album reviews, so get listening:D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ad_Surgery.jpg
Album title: Brain salad surgery
Artiste: Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Nationality: British
Year: 1973
Subgenre: None; pure Progressive Rock
Player(s): Keith Emerson (Keyboards), Greg Lake (Guitars, Vocals) Carl Palmer (Drums)
Familiarity: I know then and I hate them.
Favourite track(s): Still ... you turn me on
Why? Suppose I have to pick at least one, and I don't quite hate it.
Least favourite track(s): Everything else, though I would have to pick out “Benny the bouncer” for sheer crappiness. Slightly worse than everything else here.
Why? See my comments for explanation
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? Thought it would be overbearing, pretentious, a total wankfest. I was not disappointed.
Artwork: The only good thing about the album. Hell, it's HR Giger! Looks like IQ copied this a bit for “Dark matter”?
Factoids you'd like to share? No. I'm too depressed. Why was this band ever allowed to exist? :(
End impression: Exactly as I expected. At least I managed to stay awake this time --- third time lucky!
Comments: I tried to approach this with an open mind, I really did. But three tracks in I remembered why every time I see or hear of these guys I want to punch their smug faces in. It's not quite that it's a case of style over substance, because the talent is definitely there, but for me ELP have always typified the idea of showmanship before serious musicianship. I mean, who else fought with their keyboard, kicked the crap out of it, stuck bloody great KNIVES into it? Mark Kelly? Tony Banks? Rick Wakeman? I think not.

But personal annoyance aside, I tried to listen to the album but twice fell asleep. The opener I thought was weak and limp, “Tocatta” sounded like neither Bach nor Sky to me, and after that it just went seriously downhill. If anyone has inherited, to me, the crown passed over from Emerson, Lake and Palmer of, for want of another word, music wankery, it's Dream Theater. I just hate showy keyboard solos and complicated passages just for the sake of being there. I find little real melody you can follow in the few ELP albums I've ever heard: I've certainly never had the urge to hum any of their tunes. Just does nothing for me. If one band encompassed the overblown, arrogant, up-their-own-arses idea that got progressive rock such hatred towards the end of the seventies and into the next decades, step forward messrs Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Between you you did more to plunge the final dagger into the dying body of seventies prog rock than all the punk bands in London put together. And then you ****ed off and made more money. Shameful. Also, what's with that end bit? Excerpts from the album you just endured, sorry listened to? How ****ing super-pretentious is that???

Rating: 2.5 (And that's only because I realise it's not for me but is regarded as a classic by those with, shall we say, tastes other than mine?)

I've always hugely disliked ELP but I always remembered that this along with their debut as being their best album. I hadn't heard this album in years and after just a few songs thought I was listening to a different album by them and was shocked at how poor it now came across.

Full review up a bit later.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23...6d4a75796a.jpg
Album title: Brain salad surgery
Artiste: Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Nationality: British
Year: 1973
Subgenre: None; pure Progressive Rock
Player(s): Keith Emerson (Keyboards), Greg Lake (Guitars, Vocals) Carl Palmer (Drums)
Familiarity: I know their whole discography unfortunately.
Favourite track(s): Karn Evil 9
Why? It's one of the great prog epics, even though I prefer Tarkus when it comes to ELP. It's an engrossing 20 odd minute epic that really showcases the abilities of Keith Emerson.
Least favourite track(s): “Benny the Bouncer” and "Jerusalem"
Why? Prog bands around this time were known for inserting humour now and again into their recordings and quite often they had a light throwaway song that usually came before some epic stuff. ELP have that in "Benny the Bouncer" the problem is that it's absolute ****. "Jerusalem" firstly I hate the hymn and the song displays from the word go just how pretentious the band are.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? I knew the band were overblown and pretentious, and now will add very dated as well.
Factoids you'd like to share? One of the biggest selling prog bands of all time, which meant that millions of listeners must've really dug the band, which is amazing as they're hardly an accessible prog band.
End impression: Really couldn't sit through the album again, but could listen to Karn Evil 9, but then that's a contradiction by me as the song takes up most of the album!
Comments: I knew what was coming and it was nowhere as good as I remembered it, despite the fact I don't really like the band. The problem with ELP is quite simple. You put three of the best prog musicians of their generation together in one band and each one is an individual whose goal it seems to be to outdo the other two. What you end up with is a musical menagerie that reeks of prog excess, without ever really concentrating on what really matters and that is the songs. Personally I like each individual but not together as a band, as Greg Lake was good in King Crimson. Overall the album is an overblown epic that doesn't have the songs on its a-side. But in that great battle of the musicians Keith Emerson certainly takes it.

Rating: 3.5 and that's thanks to Karn Evil 9

Just in case my current luck runs true to form, and given that today is the last day officially for reviews of ELP's album, I'm spinning again in case I miss out the deadline for the next album.

And the number is

214!

Which gives us ... let's see ... Oh no! I PROMISE this was purely coincidence! Really!
I'm as surprised as you are!
http://eu.rymimg.com/lk/s/l/9b77f032...43/4442915.jpg

Sounds that can't be made --- Marillion

Well, there it is. Reviews by this time next week pls guys, and in the meantime anyone who hasn't suffered --- sorry, listened to BSS please extract the digit.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23...6d4a75796a.jpg
Album title: Brain Salad Surgery
Artiste: Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Nationality: British
Year: 1973
Subgenre: Keyboard Proggg
Player(s): Keith Emerson (Keyboards, Knives), Greg Lake (Guitars, Vocals) Carl Palmer (Drums)
Familiarity: High.
Favourite track(s): Karn Evil 9
Why? It's a bonafide classic even if its about 25 minutes too long. :D
Least favourite track(s): None
Why? ELP are almost as good as Saturday Night Live with some Mary Jane and a couple of beers.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? These guys were pretty instrumental to my initial fascination with prog, so I don't think I ever had any real preconceptions going into them.
Factoids you'd like to share? These guys used to tour around with giant trucks with the letters of the band (ELP) facing the sky so you could see them by helicopter as they made the rounds.
End impression: Fun but perhaps a bit much. Special time and place sort of album.
Comments: Can't really add to what's already been said to death about ELP by prog lovers and haters alike, but I can say that they were fairly interesting in some respects. As pretentious as they were, they put on great shows and have a distinctive sound in the same way Genesis and Yes stood out from the crowd, so I give credit where credit is due. And sure, they were part of the reason why mainstream listeners turned against prog/art rock and the like in the mid-70's onwards, but it takes a certain brazen and "progressive" way of thinking to achieve the level of pomposity you get on songs like Karn Evil 9. That being said, I like these guys best in small doses: with the exception of their debut, they've never really done any records that were reallllly strong from start to finish...and that's come back to bite them as far as musical reevaluations go 40+ years after the fact.

Rating: 3.0

Anteater has said nice things about ELP, but he still gave them a lower mark than me:laughing: Maybe one of us is over or under generous when it comes to marking.

But I strongly agree with one thing that hast been said by Anteater, ELP definitely had a distinctive sound that made them stand out whether you liked them or not.

http://eu.rymimg.com/lk/s/l/efbf00f4...c6/2264018.jpg
Album title: Brain Salad Surgery
Artiste: Emerson, Lake and Palmer aka ELP
Band Origin: England
Recorded: n/a (I couldn't find the actual studio they recorded in, but wiki says for this album they practiced in an old cinema.)
Year: 1973
Genre Progressive Rock
Band Members:
Keith Emerson keyboards:
Greg Lake: Bass, Electric and Acoustic Guitar
Carl Palmer: drums, percussion, and early synthesized percussions
with:
Peter Sinfield, he was an early member of King Crimson and helped write the lyrics for some of the songs.

Familiarity of the Band: I am somewhat familiar with the band, mostly their early recordings.

Familiarity of the Album In HS I borrowed the album from a friend of mine who was also a big Prog fan. I only played it a few times and haven't heard it in a while. Unless I am mistaking, I think Paul played some tracks in plug not too long ago.

Favourite track(s): Karn Evil 9 - 1st Impression
Why?
I am mostly familiar with the song.

Least favourite track(s): n/a
Why?
I like everything, some more than others but not one track I really hated.

Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad?
I haven't hear this particular album in a while. I didn't know what to expect.

Artwork: The cover is done by H. R. Giger, who is known to combine both organic and mechanical elements in his artwork .

Factoids you'd like to share?
Peter Sinfield who help write lyrics was a member of early King Crimson.
H. R. Giger who did the cover also did work for the sci-fi space thriller Alien.
The ring-modulator, which was used for the computer voice on the 3rd Impression, was the same fx also employed for the computer-like voice for those mutants aliens in bin-like tanks with toilet plungers, the Darleks, from the UK series Doctor Who.

Initial impression: I had to rely on an youtube to listen to the album, I thought it (well what was uploaded on youtube) came in kinda abruptly but soon enough I felt I was off to a good start. The opening track was good, and Toccata made a strong second track.

End impression:
I really enjoyed the album. I wish I could write a longer better review.

Comments: I love ELP. I know they're not suited for every one. My brother (who is a drummer) says he hates Carl Palmer (esp. during the Asia era) because he feels he's too rudimentary. But I rather enjoy his style. His style (especially on early ELP albums this one) is a throwback to Jazz drummers where drum roles both essential for a good drummer, and quintessential for a drummer during a extended drum solo. Most modern drummers has drifted away from the Jazz techniques both in Heavy Metal and Alt Rock etc. So what Carl is doing is some great stuff but might be lost.

Carl Palmer ranked 41 in March 2014 issue of Modern Drummers: 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time! In the article they actually recommend Karn Evil 9. I'm glad he made the list, but then imo you can't take much stock on how they rate drummers, they have Carter Beauford at 47... no way, whether or not you like Dave Matthews, he should be ranked much much higher.

I felt it was fun to listen to a band playing at such a high caliber of musicianship such as Emerson on keys and Palmer behind the drums. Honestly, in my opinion, virtuosity doesn't always equate to pomposity... no, not all the time and not in this case. I think Palmer and Lake sometimes play more of a supporting role of Emerson, there are gaps where they lay low and lets Emerson go on his organ and synth solos. Which is cool because Carl is equal to Keith on a artistic level but he doesn't compete his him, he just plays his part and also supports the other two musicians. I think they work well together, they not competing with each other and don't step on each other toes or are off doing their own thing. A great album by a great band.


Rating: 4.5

Based on current reviews and including only "Selling England by the pound" as it's on the list and we've already reviewed it to death, here are the current standings. I've added each score and divided the total by the number of members who reviewed each album in order to get an average. SEBTP got generally great reviews (even from me) with the lowest being 8.5/10, so I've translated all of them to 5.0s on our current scale.

In descending order then, so far:

Ian Anderson --- Divinities: Twelve dances with God ---- 3.0
Emerson, Lake and Palmer --- Brain salad surgery --- 3.38
Genesis --- Seconds out --- 4.0
Genesis --- Selling England by the pound --- 5.0

So SEBTP is still in top place. So far...

Most normal people would put this the other way around;)

Normal's overrated...

Is the normal thing to do is pick another album to review?

Another album was picked. It is at the bottom of the page before your comment.

Remember album deadline is up real soon.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...7t_Be_Made.jpg
Album title: Sounds that can't be made
Artiste: Marillion
Nationality: British
Year: 2012
Subgenre: Neo-Prog
Player(s): Steve Hogarth (Vocals), Mark kelly (Keyboards), Steve Rothery (Guitars), Pete Trewavas (Bass), Ian Mosley (Drums)
Familiarity: I am a huge Marillion fan: second-favourite band of all time; have been into them since their debut.
Favourite track(s): “The sky above the rain”
Why? Though I love “Gaza” it is hard going, and I feel Marillion say more in this final ten minutes than they did in the opening seventeen in many ways. It's a fine closer, and I think this album needed to end well, as it does. Mind you, “Lucky man” comes close too.
Least favourite track(s): None, but if I had to pick one that was weaker than the rest I'd probably go for “Invisible ink”.
Why? Just feel it's a little --- a very little --- substandard, given the overall quality of the tracks here.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? Up until “Somewhere else” I was fanatically certain that any Marillion album would be nothing short of terrific, but that album hurt me and it's been something of a slow climb back since. “Marbles” and the excellent “Happiness is the road” helped heal the hurt, but I still maintain that horrible little niggling fear that they may slip again, so the certainty with the release of each album is slightly less these days. Still, I expected a great album and this is what we got.
Factoids you'd like to share? Marillion don't usually do much in the way of political lyrics since Fish departed in 1988, only “Berlin” and “Easter” off “Seasons end” come to mind really, but here they've not only written their first and most hard-hitting politically motivated song in years, but their longest too, clocking in at an amazing 17:31!
End impression: Marillion are back baby!
Comments: I'd been waiting for the release of this album for about a year, watching the Marillion website and reading up on it. When it finally came I approached it with more than a little trepidation; apart from the fears expressed above, an album that OPENS with a seventeen-minute track had better be damn good, or you're going to lose your listeners before they have time to check out the rest. And there's also a 14-minuter and a 10-minuter here too, so not for the faint-hearted! Luckily it all came together well and I consider it one of the finest recent Marillion albums I've heard.

Again, I've written a full review of this in my journal so I'll be brief here, just to say that the Arabian style melodies in “Gaza” are expected but work well, and it goes through a lot of different changes over the course of its massive run. Some great hard guitar from Rothery and powerful drumming from Mosley, and as ever Hogarth's pained, emotional vocal rises above and demands your attention. Marillion as ever mix in a nice selection of rock, prog rock, pop and even lounge with the odd bit of jazz into this album, so whether it's truly a prog rock album or not I'd maybe have to defend, but if that isn't being progressive in the truest sense of the word I don't know what is.

My only criticism, if I have one, is that there are too many long tracks on the album, and on those longer ones I find I get easily lost, that is, they don't flow as easily as the shorter ones and I'd be hard-pressed to remember what they go like. It's the old “Ocean cloud” (from “Marbles disc 2”) problem rearing its head again, a trap Marillion have tended to fall into over the last ten years and the last four albums. Songs like “Power”, the title track and “Lucky man” hit the spot more for me because they're (relatively) short and I can relate to them more. This is odd, yes, coming from Trollheart the Epic Lover, but it's just how these longer songs come across to me. The last really long Marillion song I enjoyed was probably “Neverland”, the closing track on “Marbles” and “Interior lulu” and “House”, the final tracks on “Marillion dot com”...

I really feel that if Marillion stuck to more sub-ten-minute tracks they would be a lot more popular than they are at the moment. Much of this album is squarely aimed at longtime fans like me, and even I have a little problem with the “epics”. And yet I love “The sky above the rain”, and that's over ten minutes long. Thing is, I used to be able to sing (if you wanted to be tortured!) every word and hum every musical phrase from every Marillion album, going back to "Script" and up to about "Marillion dot com", but after that I started to --- not forget as such but maybe not be quite as impressed by some of the tracks, and the later albums I could sing some of the tracks, often close to all but not every single one. In itself I think this says something of a guy who is a total Marillion nut, and what therefore would it say of a casual listener or fan? Too clever for their own good? I do begin to wonder....

Rating: 4.0 (I'd like to score it higher, and I do love it, but I don't feel it deserves the title of classic and certainly not masterpiece sadly. But a great, great album nevertheless)

http://www.marillion.com/prodimages//prod/1411.jpg
Album Title: Sounds That Can't Be Made
Artiste: Marillion
Nationality: British
Year: 2012
Subgenre: "Neo" Progressive Rock
Player(s): Steve Hogarth (Vocals/Keyboards), Mark Kelly (Keys/Backing Vox), Ian Mosley (Drums), Steve Rothery (Guitar) and Pete Trewavas (Bass)
Familiarity: Very
Favourite track(s): Sounds That Can't Be Made, Montreal, Gaza
Why? All very powerful songs in their own way, with the title track in particular being a melodic tour-de-force on par with anything on Seasons End or Afraid Of Sunlight.
Least favourite track(s): Lucky Man
Why? Hogarth doesn't do the bluesy, bar-band thing that well.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? I haven't really liked a Marillion album from start to finish since Afraid Of Sunlight back in '95 (though Marbles had its' moments), so there's always a part of me that hoped they'd eventually give me something I could sit through from beginning to end with a smile on my face.
Factoids you'd like to share? Hogarth almost became the keyboardist for famed band The The right before he was approached by Marillion.
End impression: The best they've done in ten years or more.
Comments: I've never seen a band besides maybe Radiohead or The Smiths who have as fervent and dedicated a following as Marillion. The majority opinion from them is that this latest outing is their best since Marbles, and on that I would agree wholeheartedly. Hogarth has perhaps grown wearier as a singer with the passing of years, but all that seems to fall away when you hear parts of 'Gaza' or that soaring chorus on the title track and you remember why these guys continue to be so lauded despite so much competition in the progsphere nowadays compared to the 80's and 90's. There is much life left in Rothery and the boys yet. :yeah:

Rating: 4.0

I'm opting out on this. I didn't like the first track... I didn't care for it and couldn't get passed that to be bother write a review of the album. Before giving the album a listen I did watch a mini-doc on it learn some interest stuff but meh. I don't know... my taste is different from everyone here so I just might opt out of the club altogether. Though I'm slightly curious what the next album will be...

Nah, I don't really accept opting out. If you want to bow out of the club altogether that's fine but you can't pick and choose what albums you'll review really. The first one we did here was an Ian Anderson and I bloody hate him but I still did a review. If everyone could decide not to review stuff they didn't like then we'd have nothing but glowing reviews, which would be pointless.

I completely don't understand your reasoning but respect your choice, but I'd have to say if you're going to have that attitude then the club is better off without you. We want people here who will commit to reviewing and put in the slog no matter whether they like or hate the album. Just saying I don't like it so I won't review it is not in my opinion grounds for avoiding reviewing it.

That said, this is all supposed to be done in a sense of fun and good humour, so I don't condemn you for your attitude but I certainly do not share it, and if this is the way you look at reviews then I would have to say should you review anything here in the future I would take it very much with a pinch of salt. I can review albums in my journals, or in threads, that I hate and still do a good review of them. Why can't you apply that same principle here?

Anyway, if you don't want to do it nobody can force you but your reasoning disappoints me.

Edit: I should be clearer here. Nobody HAS to review an album, other than the Core Group of Anteater, Unknown Soldier and me. But if you choose not to review one just don't do it. The kind of posturing you're doing here, Neapolitan, whether intentional or not (I'm assuming the latter) is just pointless. You don't want to review an album, fine. Just don't tell us all about how you hate it and why you're not going to review it. It just seems a little mean-spirited, especially since this is one of my favourite bands. Again I'm sure that wasn't your intention but really, if you don't want to review then don't review: you don't need to post about it. There are others who can take up the slack and the CG will always put in their reviews, so no album will be ignored completely.

Okay I realise some of us are still trying to catch up with the current selection but hey, it's Tuesday so here's the next spin. And it's 47

which gives us
http://eu.rymimg.com/lk/s/l/b19a1b80...4e/1253618.jpg

Arbeicht macht frei --- Area

Never heard of these guys... Wiki/Progarchives here I come!

Occurs to me I may have been overly harsh on Neapolitan, and if so I apologise, though I still find his stance disappointing. However it does serve to illustrate the fact that not everyone here is or can be as committed to the club as others, and with that in mind I'd like to propose something.

I feel that in order to belong to any club, even a stupid internet one, there are certain responsibilities that members have to accept. You can't just be a member and do nothing. Sure it's all in fun and enjoyment but at the same time you can't say you belong to a club without being prepared to give something back.

So here's what I suggest: a three-tier level of membership. First tier we already have: Core Membership. This is, at the moment, restricted to Unknown Solider, Anteater and myself, as the founders and movers of the club. It's up to us to make sure there is always an album to review, and that our own reviews are published in time. It's also our responsibility to basically run the club, and if one should be sick or unable to participate for a short while the other two should be able to step in. That's Core Membership, and it would be open to anyone who can agree to make that sort of commitment to the club.

Second level I would propose is Standard Membership. This would still mean that you would have to review every album but in recognition of the fact that maybe you have not as much time to devote to the club as us, or are not as interested in or committed to it, Standard members would be allowed an extension for their reviews, anything from ten to fourteen days, after which their reviews MUST be up.

Once all Core and Standard Members have posted their reviews I would total the scores up and award the overall average for each album. Scoring for that album would then be closed.

The last tier would be Associate Membership. This would be for the one-off, come-in-come-out members who wanted to review an album once in a while, comment, talk, discuss and hang around but who would not be relied upon for their reviews. None of their scores would be included at any stage in the average for an album. Naturally, anyone wishing to move from one tier to a higher (or lower) could be achieved if their workload/interest/commitment changed.

I don't want to come across as dictatorial or draconian on this, but I really feel to make the club work we need people to take it seriously, and I'd rather have four dedicated members than twenty so-so ones.

So, what do you think? In order for this to be ratified I feel it should only have to be approved by the three Core Members, then we can ask who wants to be at what level.

Comments welcome: let's try to make this the best album club on Music Banter, but to do that we all need to be prepared to put in a shift and justify our membership. Fair?

Bwahahaha, and thus our MLM Prog Pyramid Scheme was born!!

...but no, I think its a sound structure TH and I think it encourages a wider range of participation too. :wave: