Is This The Worst Prog Rock Song Of All Time?

[Zappathustra]

^ Part two (2nd. impression) of "Karn Evil 9" is the finest thing any of the three ever accomplished, IMHO. I'm still amazed at how brilliant it is when I listen to it today, having heard it a few hundred times already. And it never fails in captivating new listeners.

Yes, I re-listened and the 2nd impression is great, it sounds like an obscure, brilliant Italian band, stuff like Banco, Il Balletto di Bronzo, the ferociousness, the exuberant energy.

It's funny that these were the guys they were most targeted for "pretentiousness", whereas the means they use are the simplest they could be, a couple of keyboards, some bass or guitar, drums.

I still think the debut is the best - the raw energy there was never again repeated and Keith is a bloody genius on the piano.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Second Impression is indeed the high point of ELP's career.

And I like "Benny" right where he is; think of it as a palate-cleanser before the main dish. (And I love the barrelhouse piano.)

[BravadoNJ]

What? No "Love Beach"?

worse prog song not prog album cover... he he

[roylayer]

I reckon the worst prog song has to be something off of one of the two Nessie albums; by my estimation the worst 70s prog band. How much of this group can YOU stomach?

“The Gambler” gets my vote as the worst song off of this dog of an album. Nothing but one cliché after another. When he gets to “Satisfaction guaranteed,” I struggle to keep my eyes in my head, they’re rolling so hard. At least “Taste of My Love” made me laugh, even if it was at their expense.

While I agree that Nessie isn't very good, I am confused by the songs that you mention. They don't match anything on either of their two albums:

https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=10044
https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=10045

Am I missing something?

[Progbear]

While I agree that Nessie isn't very good, I am confused by the songs that you mention. They don't match anything on either of their two albums:

The second part of that post was in response to a quote about Love Beach.

[yesstiles]

"Benny" is just as bad as "Jerusalem" and "Toccata." Those three tracks suck imo. It's all about KE9.

[Kcrimso]

"Benny" is just as bad as "Jerusalem" and "Toccata." Those three tracks suck imo. It's all about KE9.

What are you smoking? ”Toccata” is one of the finest things that ELP ever did. ”Jerusalem” is also great song.


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[Scrotum Scissor]

as bad as "Toccata." suck imo.

Please explain why "Toccata" sucks (iyo).

Don't you appreciate Ginastera's original piece? As far as I can tell, this was one of those extremely rare instances where a composer actually endorsed a "rock" interpretation of his work, and it's been influential on more advanced types of musical expressions than was usual for ELP - such as chamber-rock (Far Corner, Rational Diet, October Equus et al.) and even industrial rock.

Why does it "suck"?

[Zappathustra]

Did you get to see Ari Aster's film Hereditary? It stirred endless controversy due to how the ending effectively brought about such an "interactive" impulse in being perceived as having tricked the viewer's understanding of the narrative right from the very start of the movie - prompting some of the harshest reactions and responses I've witnessed from a recent film.

That's a very scary, engaging, unsettling movie there. I am not a fan of the "genre", but this is a very well constructed movie that leaves a mark upon the viewer's psyche. I don't really understand why people found the ending disappointing. From my part, the only let-down was that I expected the "dollhouse effect" to play a more significant role at the final scenes of the movie. Somehow there was a big theme there that wasn't fully exploited in the narrative. But maybe that was also a conscious decision, although I don't get its significance.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ Oh, it's by no means a 'masterwork' of any sort. It's not like The Exorcist where you essentially go back and realize how it really isn't about the detail as well as the message - but that the message is in the detail and v/v. But for a director's debut it made wonders - although Midsommar (his followup) was even more bizarre and - as you say - unsettling.

I'm not sure "disappointment" was the proper description of audience-reactions to the ending of Hereditary. Rather I came to believe that people were simply provoked by the realization that they'd been tricked by the internally-defined logic of the narrative, in other words by not being "in control" of developments therein and consequently not of their own perception of the film or their role as onlookers. As such Midsommar raises the same message of implication even louder; How can you NOT react when the filth of actuality is gaping directly into your face? Is it naivité? Or perhaps the foolishness of intellectual pride or imagined ability to distance oneself from matters of reality by way of theory?

There are political and even ideological hints at play here, and the choice of Sweden as location for Midsommar wasn't incidental. I won't go further into it.

[Kcrimso]

There are political and even ideological hints at play here, and the choice of Sweden as location for Midsommar wasn't incidental. I won't go further into it.

Superficial comment about Midsommar: I was disappointed that the location where they filmed did not look anything like Sweden. Even few birch trees here and there would have made miracles!

[starless and bible black]

I say that ELP's "Benny The Bouncer" is NOT a prog rock song so therefore it can't be the 'worst prog rock song of all time'. Like "Jeremy Bender", "Nutrocker" & "The Sheriff" before it, "Benny" is a whimsical departure from the rest of the group's work.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Superficial comment about Midsommar: I was disappointed that the location where they filmed did not look anything like Sweden. Even few birch trees here and there would have made miracles!

Agree 100%! They chose Hungary for all the right/wrong reasons, namely that infamous reduction on tax expenses for every aspect involved in producing a motion picture. All the more directors are instructed by their production pompanies to take advantage of that "opportunity" - notwithstanding the outcome on the end product itself. I traveled quite a bit in Norrbotn myself, and there's little if any similarity to what's seen in the film.

Of course, this isn't the point about making it... 'Sweden'. The point, I think, is that this precise country is seen as centre stage for seminal developments in 'western culture'. And no pun or fun as to that.

[yesstiles]

Please explain why "Toccata" sucks (iyo).

Don't you appreciate Ginastera's original piece? As far as I can tell, this was one of those extremely rare instances where a composer actually endorsed a "rock" interpretation of his work, and it's been influential on more advanced types of musical expressions than was usual for ELP - such as chamber-rock (Far Corner, Rational Diet, October Equus et al.) and even industrial rock.

Why does it "suck"?

To my ears? It's just cold, hollow and unenjoyable. Yes, it sounds like a computer made it, not humans. The opening 10 minutes of the previous 2 ELP albums were so much more engaging and appealing.

[Scrotum Scissor]

^ It's perfectly fair to dislike a piece of music on the basis of emotional estrangement. But this work was supposed to be cold, hostile, alien and "mechanical/robotical" - that's the very reason why it's arranged as given.

Of course, it's alright to dismiss whole genres of film, music, dance (etc.)as well based on the same line of reasoning. I myself, for instance, never particularly liked opera.

[Zappathustra]

I don't find Toccata cold at all, although I understand the allegation. Keith Emerson throws hot lava from his hammond and Carl Palmer plays like a demon. The middle percussion section is another issue, and I can see why it is not to everybody's taste.

[JJ88]

Initially I had a 'WTF' reaction to 'Toccata', but over the years I've come to see it as one of their best tracks.

The production style of BSS turns some people off. Personally I love it, not sure how they did it- I've never heard another album sound like it.

[Scrotum Scissor]

production pompanies