Tales From Topographic Oceans

[Jaminbenb]

I have cdr's with that, Close to the Edge, and Gates of Delirium and Awaken on it! That's my favorite discs for plane rides! (or long car trips without my wife) IT keeps my mind occupied and makes the trip seem faster!

 

 

[Soni]

I have an original pressing that belonged to my dad, it looks great!

 

I think this album embodies the best and worse aspects of progressive rock.

Nice melodies... but just noise at some moments!

Great solos and musicianship... that sometimes turn into instrumental wanking!

Inspired lyrics... that can be a bit too far out!

 

I see that record as an overblown CTTE! Double albums are rarely good, I mean it's hard to make a good album... So TWO good ones!

Like with double albums, you could have made a very very good single album.

 

I can't not think of Bruford saying he knew that record was coming before leaving for Krimsonland! He was right.

 

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

I couldn't have written a better review myself....

 

Plus I was like 19 when I got into 'Yes' and spent 30 bucks on this album and back then that was a lot of money for me. I was so pissed that I wasted so much money on that piece of crap album...

 

And, yes, I've given it many listens, and it always yields the same response

[Silas Lang]

I think the reviewer makes a good point in the comparison of Tales with Close To The Edge. I agree to the extent that CTTE is more dynamic and works as a long piece much more effectively than anything on Tales. CTTE has a flow and a naturalness (as does the entire Bruford era) about it that Tales lacks. Apparently, according to the band, it was only after they finished CTTE that they realized it fit perfectly on one album side. TFTO's main flaw is that it feels more forced and padded to make each track an album side and therefore somewhat contrived.

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

I bought it when I was in college, in Leeside Music, second hand vinyl for 3.99. Loved Side 1 and 4 straight away, took me a bit longer to get into sides 2 & 3.

 

Played side 1 to my friends one Sunday morning. Things went from blank stare to WTF in seconds.

[Tick]

I never heard the album until a year ago. I borrowed from the library to burn in onto a disc. I listened to it a couple of times. I'm a prog head but I must admit I didn't grasp it and have not played it again. Perhaps with more effort it would grow on me?

Alas, its unlikely at this point, I will put forth that kind of effort to try and get it.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (tick @ Apr 12 2011, 04:56 AM)

I never heard the album until a year ago. I borrowed from the library to burn in onto a disc. I listened to it a couple of times. I'm a prog head but I must admit I didn't grasp it and have not played it again. Perhaps with more effort it would grow on me? Alas, its unlikely at this point, I will put forth that kind of effort to try and get it.

Sometimes I'm tempted to say that the very best albums are the ones that take awhile to grow on you, where your love and appreciation for the album is a hard-fought battle in which you emerge victorious.

 

But then many would argue, and I sometimes do too, that albums shouldn't be such hard work. After all, most of the albums I love, if I didn't love them right away, I at least really liked them or saw so much potential there that I was willing to listen two or three times for it to really click on all levels.

 

There are people who do get Tales immediately, but for many of us that love it, it IS one of those albums that takes time. There's simply too much going on to be able to fully absorb it in one listen, or even in five.

 

I do think it's one of the most rewarding albums that exists if you give it the time, but that's obviously up to each person if they think it's worth the effort. Obviously for some it will never click. We are, after all, talking about the most controversial album by Yes, and one of the probably top 5 most controversial album in progressive rock history. It's well known for being extremely polarizing - one of those albums that gets tons of five star reviews side by side with tons of one star reviews.

[greg2112]

The only song I dont like alot on TFTO is the Ancient, and even there I love the acoustic part at the end. Funny to read that old Creem review though. Edited April 14, 2011 by greg2112

[Good,bad,andrush]

QUOTE (greg2112 @ Apr 14 2011, 01:04 PM)

The only song I dont like alot on TFTO is the Ancient, and even there I love the acoustic part at the end. Funny to read that old Creem review though.

This men goobs will like vaportrailzz in the future

[ucsteve667]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Apr 12 2011, 07:33 AM)

QUOTE (tick @ Apr 12 2011, 04:56 AM) I never heard the album until a year ago. I borrowed from the library to burn in onto a disc. I listened to it a couple of times. I'm a prog head but I must admit I didn't grasp it and have not played it again. Perhaps with more effort it would grow on me? Alas, its unlikely at this point, I will put forth that kind of effort to try and get it. Sometimes I'm tempted to say that the very best albums are the ones that take awhile to grow on you, where your love and appreciation for the album is a hard-fought battle in which you emerge victorious.   But then many would argue, and I sometimes do too, that albums shouldn't be such hard work. After all, most of the albums I love, if I didn't love them right away, I at least really liked them or saw so much potential there that I was willing to listen two or three times for it to really click on all levels.   There are people who do get Tales immediately, but for many of us that love it, it IS one of those albums that takes time. There's simply too much going on to be able to fully absorb it in one listen, or even in five.   I do think it's one of the most rewarding albums that exists if you give it the time, but that's obviously up to each person if they think it's worth the effort. Obviously for some it will never click. We are, after all, talking about the most controversial album by Yes, and one of the probably top 5 most controversial album in progressive rock history. It's well known for being extremely polarizing - one of those albums that gets tons of five star reviews side by side with tons of one star reviews. wow, we agree on some stuff after all huh. I understand why people dont like it and all, but I love it thoroughly. as for the "noise" parts, they have their place. I guess it kinda got me ready to like Mr Bungle cause no one does nonsense musically better at times than Bungle. Sometimes chaos has its place. But I will cherish that 4 sided record till death

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (ucsteve667 @ Apr 14 2011, 12:21 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Apr 12 2011, 07:33 AM) QUOTE (tick @ Apr 12 2011, 04:56 AM) I never heard the album until a year ago. I borrowed from the library to burn in onto a disc. I listened to it a couple of times. I'm a prog head but I must admit I didn't grasp it and have not played it again. Perhaps with more effort it would grow on me? Alas, its unlikely at this point, I will put forth that kind of effort to try and get it. Sometimes I'm tempted to say that the very best albums are the ones that take awhile to grow on you, where your love and appreciation for the album is a hard-fought battle in which you emerge victorious.   But then many would argue, and I sometimes do too, that albums shouldn't be such hard work. After all, most of the albums I love, if I didn't love them right away, I at least really liked them or saw so much potential there that I was willing to listen two or three times for it to really click on all levels.   There are people who do get Tales immediately, but for many of us that love it, it IS one of those albums that takes time. There's simply too much going on to be able to fully absorb it in one listen, or even in five.   I do think it's one of the most rewarding albums that exists if you give it the time, but that's obviously up to each person if they think it's worth the effort. Obviously for some it will never click. We are, after all, talking about the most controversial album by Yes, and one of the probably top 5 most controversial album in progressive rock history. It's well known for being extremely polarizing - one of those albums that gets tons of five star reviews side by side with tons of one star reviews. wow, we agree on some stuff after all huh. Imagine that!   Hey man, I'm not Debbie Downer all the time (or even most of the time). We'll be friends before you know it.   QUOTE (ucsteve667 @ Apr 14 2011, 12:21 PM) I understand why people dont like it and all, but I love it thoroughly. as for the "noise" parts, they have their place. I guess it kinda got me ready to like Mr Bungle cause no one does nonsense musically better at times than Bungle. Sometimes chaos has its place. But I will cherish that 4 sided record till death It's always great to find people who truly love and appreciate this album. I understand why people don't like it too, I guess. I mean, it is 4 20-minute songs, which is pretty audacious. You have to be able to enjoy some musical meandering. I say "I guess" only because now that I do see it's brilliance, I think people are missing out if they miss the boat on it, but I also do understand that it's not for everyone.

Edited April 14, 2011 by rushgoober

[Mystic Slipperman]

I first heard Topographic when I was 17. A friend of mine was nuts about it and let me borrow his copy.

 

It was definitely a grower.. took me about 4-5 years to really appreciate it. Now I love it, and I'm glad that Yes has performed a little over half of it live in recent times (Revealing in 96/97/98/02, Leaves of Green in 00, and Ritual in 00/01/04). A real treat.

Edited April 15, 2011 by Mystic Slipperman

[micgtr71]

I may have said this before, but I'll say it again. This was my first Yes record and it is still my favorite.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Is this a top 5 Yes album for me?

 

Yes.

[Cyclonus X-1]

Is this a top 5 Yes album for me?

 

Yes.

 

It probably wouldn't make their top fifteen for me, but I do like it...at least parts of it.

 

The Remembering is my favorite of the four "movements." The "relayer" bits are great.