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Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 14 August 2011 CE
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Moon Cat
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Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 14 August 2011 CE
Aug 16, 2011, 18:42
Chaosmonger wrote:
flashbackcaruso wrote:
Yes - Tales of Topographic Oceans (Each time I play this I'm more surprised at its bad reputation. Okay, the titles reek of pretension, but the music is consistently melodic and inventive).


Never understood its rep either. I mean it's obviously not as good as its surrounding albums but it's still GOOD. Also, despite its weighty title/concept, it's probably one of their most laidback albums from that period.



Probably just an easy target from a high-profile band rather than any actual considered criticsm. Silly title? Check! Double gatefold? Check! One-Song each side? Check? Concept and Lyrical...flourishes? Check! Therefore it MUST represent the worst excesses and nadir of prog!

I do like it well enough, although, for a band that I always thought had their (occasional) progular bombast tempered by their innate melodicism, Tales... just goes a bit blobby and aimless for me in parts. In fact, part of me thinks that if they were gonna do this 'thing', then they shoulda gone out and out mental and made the sillier bits MORE SO. That's the problem. It's got some lovely Yes bits, but it's neither Roundabout nor a 6 disc wankathon and suffers for it. Always enjoy it when I play it, but there's other stuff in the Yes canon that's more satisfying by being less but giving more.
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Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 14 August 2011 CE (Chaosmonger)
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