Tales From Topographic Oceans- Rating out of 5?

[Witeskyn7]

4 stars. I love side 1 and side 4, with side 4 being my favourite. I like various bits of side 2, but do find it too repititive. Side 3 is a hard one, apart from the Leaves of Green part, still can't get into it.

You beat me to it, Arno.

I used to partake in a little bit of marijuana...Back in the day
and this album was just BLISS....until track 3.....The Ancient. Buzz Kill.

I tried....and tried......

Now much later in life and stone cold sober, well,........Nuh, still no.

1 and 4 for me as well.
(And of course my edit of The Remembering )

[True]

I do love this album. In the 70's I would have given it a 5, and I did enjoy it tremendously at the time. In hindsight I think some of my adoration was my own bias, as so many friends at the time told me it wasn't nearly as good as the preceding 3 albums and they begged me to turn it off at parties. So I convinced myself that those people just "didn't get it".
About once a year I will play all four sides in order and it's a pleasure to do so, but I don't consider it to be a masterpiece.

[Oldie on the Goldie]

I could never get into The Ancient, will have to try again sometime after a few beers or something a bit stronger. I used to find The Remembering boring and repetitive but no more - now it lulls me into an almost hypnotic state of being, and is the track from Tales I listen to most often.

[pjt]

I agree with the "flawed masterpiece" opinion.
I prefer the first two sides to the other two, especially the Ancient drags a bit for me, it feels padded to a degree that it actually bothers me. I like The Ritual, but there's something with it that just doesn't work for me, but I can't put a finger on it why. RSOG is just perfect, and I really enjoy the soothing soundscapes of The Remembering.