Tag Archives: 50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time

Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

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On October 26, 1999, “Elektra” label released “Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory”, the fifth Dream Theater studio album. It was recorded in 1999, at “Bear Track Studios” in Suffern, New York, and was produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy. “Scenes from a Memory” was ranked by “Rolling Stones” magazine at number 29 in its list of “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • James LaBrie – vocals
  • John Petrucci – guitars, programming, backing vocals
  • Jordan Rudess – keyboards, gospel choir arrangements, conductor
  • John Myung – bass
  • Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals
  • Theresa Thomason – additional vocals
  • Terry Brown – spoken voice
  • David Bottrill – spoken voice
  • Theresa Thomason, Mary Canty, Shelia Slappy, Mary Smith, Jeanette Smith, Clarence Burke Jr., Carol Cyrus, Dale Scott – choir
  • Doug Oberkircher – engineer
  • Brian Quackenbush – engineer assistant
  • Michael Bates – engineer assistant
  • Terry Brown – vocals co-production
  • Kevin Shirley – mixing
  • David Bottrill – mixing
  • Rory Romano – mixing assistant
  • Shinobu Mitsuoka – mixing assistant
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Eugene Nastasi – mastering assistant
  • Lili Picou – art direction, design
  • Dave McKean – cover illustration
  • Ken Schles – still life photography
  • Andrew Lepley – house photography
  • Darko Danicic – band photography

Track listing:

All music by John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess, John Myung and Mike Portnoy, except where noted, all lyrics as noted.

  1. Scene One: Regression – music and lyrics by John Petrucci
  2. Scene Two: I. Overture 1928
  3. Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu – lyrics by Mike Portnoy
  4. Scene Three: I. Through My Words – lyrics and music by John Petrucci
  5. Scene Three: II. Fatal Tragedy – lyrics by John Myung
  6. Scene Four: Beyond This Life – lyrics by John Petrucci
  7. Scene Five” Through Her Eyes – lyrics by John Petrucci
  8. Scene Six: Home – lyrics by Mike Portnoy
  9. Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity
  10. Scene Seven: II. One Last Time – lyrics by James LaBrie
  11. Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On – lyrics by John Petrucci
  12. Scene Nine: Finaly Free – lyrics by Mike Portnoy

Supertramp: Crime Of The Century

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On October 25, 1974, “A&M” label released “Crime of the Century”, the third Supertramp studio album. It was recorded February – June 1974, at “Trident”, “Ramport” and “Scorpio Sound” in London, and was produced by Ken Scott, Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, John Anthony Helliwell, Dougie Thomson and Bob Steinberg. “Rolling Stone” magazine included it in its list of the “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Roger Hodgson – vocals, guitar, piano
  • Rick Davies – vocals, keyboards, harmonica
  • John Anthony Helliwell – saxophones, clarinet, backing vocals
  • Dougie Thomson – bass guitar
  • Bob Siebenberg – drums, percussion
  • Christine Helliwell – backing vocals
  • Scott Gorham – backing vocals
  • Vicky Siebenberg – backing vocals
  • Anonymous street musician – saw
  • Ken Scott – water gong, engineer
  • Richard Hewson – string arrangements
  • John Jansen – engineer
  • Ray Staff – vinyl mastering
  • Fabio Nicoli – art direction
  • Paul Wakefield – design, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson.

  1. School
  2. Bloody Well Right
  3. Hide in Your Shell
  4. Asylum
  5. Dreamer
  6. Rudy
  7. If Everyone Was Listening
  8. Crime of the Century

Magma: Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh

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In December 1973, “Vertigo” label released “Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh”, the third Magma studio album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Giorgio Gomelsky. The French edition of “Rolling Stone” magazine named the album the 33rd greatest French rock album.  In 2015, the same magazine ranked the album at number 24 on its list of the “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Klaus Blasquiz– vocals, percussion
  • Stella Vander– vocals
  • Muriel Streisfield– vocals
  • Evelyne Razymovski– vocals
  • Michele Saulnier– vocals
  • Doris Reinhardt– vocals
  • Claude Olmos– guitar
  • Jean-Luc Manderlier– piano, organ
  • Benoit Widemann– keyboards
  • Jannick Top– bass
  • Christian Vander– drums, vocals, organ, percussion
  • René Garber– bass clarinet, vocals
  • Teddy Lasry– brass, flute
  • Eddie Sprigg, Gilbert, Gilles Sallé, Simon Heyworth, Steve Michell, Tom Rabstener– engineer
  • Loulou Sarkissian– stage manager

Track listing:

All tracks by Christian Vander.

  1. Hortz Fur Dëhn Štekëhn Ẁešt
  2. mah Sürï Dondaï
  3. Kobaïa Ïss Dëh Hündïn
  4. Da Zeuhl Ẁortz Mëkanïk
  5. Nëbëhr Gudahtt
  6. Mëkanïk Kömmandöh
  7. Kreühn Köhrmahn Ïss Dëh Hündin

Can: Future Days

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On August 1, 1973, “United Artists” label released “Future Days”, the fourth Can studio album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, Irmin Schmidt and Damo Suzuki.”Future Days” was ranked at number 8 on the Rolling Stone’s “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time” list. In 1995, “Mojo” magazine named it the 62nd greatest album of all time.

Personnel:

  • Damo Suzuki– vocals, percussion
  • Michael Karoli– guitar, violin
  • Irmin Schmidt– keyboards, synthesizers
  • Holger Czukay– bass, double bass
  • Jaki Liebezeit– drums, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks written by Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, Irmin Schmidt, and Damo Suzuki.

  1. Future Days
  2. Spray
  3. Moonshake
  4. Bel Air

Marillion: Clutching At Straws

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Clutching_at_Straws

On June 12, 1987, “EMI” label released “Clutching at Straws” the fourth Marillion studio album. It was recorded in 1987, at “Westside Studio” in London, and was produced by Chris Kimsey.It was band’s last album with original lead singer Fish, who left in 1988. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Clutching at Straws” at number 37 in its countdown of  the “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Fish– vocals
  • Steve Rothery– guitars
  • Mark Kelly– keyboards
  • Pete Trewavas– bass
  • Ian Mosley– drums
  • Tessa Niles– backing vocals
  • Chris Kimsey (credited as “Christopher ‘Robbin’ Kimsey”) – backing vocals
  • John Cavanaugh – ” Finlay” voice

Track listing:

All tracks by Fish, Mark Kelly, Ian Mosley, Steve Rothery and Pete Trewavas.

  1. Hotel Hobbies
  2. Warm Wet Circles
  3. That Time of the Night (The Short Straw)
  4. Just for the Record
  5. White Russian
  6. Incommunicado
  7. Torch Song
  8. Slàinte Mhath
  9. Sugar Mice
  10. The Last Straw
  11. Happy Ending

Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

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The_Lamb_Lies_Down_on_Broadway

On November 18, 1974, “Charisma” label released “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”, the sixth Genesis studio album. It was band’s last studio album  with Peter Gabriel and was recorded August – October 1974, at the “Island Mobile Studios” in Wales, and was produced by John Burns, Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford. “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” was ranked at number 9 on the “Rolling Stone” magazine list of “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time”. The album was deemed one of the 23 “Maddest and Most Memorable Concept Albums” by “NME”.

Personnel:

  • Peter Gabriel – lead vocals, flute, oboe, tambourine, experiments with foreign sounds
  • Tony Banks – piano, Hammond organ, Electra piano, Mellotron , synthesizers
  • Steve Hackett – guitars
  • Mike Rutherford – bass
  • Phil Collins – drums, percussion, vibraphone, backing vocals
  • Brian Eno – enossification (vocal treatments)

Track listing

All tracks by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford.

  1. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
  2. Fly on a Windshield
  3. Broadway Melody of 1974
  4. Cuckoo Cocoon
  5. In the Cage
  6. The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging
  7. Back in N.Y.C.
  8. Hairless Heart
  9. Counting Out Time
  10. The Carpet Crawlers
  11. The Chamber of 32 Doors
  12. Lilywhite Lillith
  13. The Waiting Room
  14. Anyway
  15. Here Comes the Supernatural Anesthetist
  16. The Lamia
  17. Silent Sorrow in Empty Books
  18. The Colony of Slipperman
  • The Arrival
  • A visit to the Doktor
  • The Raven
  1. Ravine
  2. The Light Dies Down on Broadway
  3. Riding the Scree
  4. In the Rapids
  5. It