50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists

[Soundwaveseeker]

Black Moon, of course, being the only ELP album to have a Yes member writing for it.

As well as regular Trevor Rabin cohort and film composer Mark Mancina writing one as well.

[bondegezou]

I was disappointed the aborted ABWH tracks weren't included on a bonus disc with the reissue of the first ABWH album. I have an unofficial CD though. I really like Take the Water to the Mountain as it is. I've got a CDR I put together years ago that sequences it with Nine Voices. Works nicely together.

There was a rights argument over ABWH re-issues, as I understand it, with Anderson and Ayling putting out something, then the others disputing their right to do that and a quick re-release from Esoteric in response. This left no time to dig into possible bonus tracks, where Howe clearly has material available.

[bondegezou]

In The Hot Seat is best never mentioned again, but the previous one, Black Moon, I thought was pretty cool

Black Moon, of course, being the only ELP album to have a Yes member writing for it.

[Gtkgasman]

It's Hard is no Quadrophenia or Who's Next, but I still like a few tracks on it. Athena is a legitimate earworm and I've always loved Eminence Front, even Pete's solo version:

I don't skip Cooks County or Cry If You Want. I enjoy Pete's cutting guitar work on those.

Psychoderelict, on the other hand? I never listen to it. Pete lost the plot at that point.

Yep. Athena and Eminence Front get a lot of play on Sirius in the car, so I can always get my fill of those two good tunes.

[Soundwaveseeker]

That said, I still remember my disappointment when Talk was released with the 90125 lineup. I didn't like "Union" and didn't care much for "ABWH", but to go back to the 90125 lineup looked like a step backwards. There was also the fact that, as usual with an album with Rabin involved, the record took forever to arrive.



It did feel strange when Yes reverted back to that lineup after the big hoohaw about Classic Yes 70's members being back with ABWH and Union. But I remember the Victory Records ad page in the ELP Black Moon tour book that clearly listed Yes as on their roster with a lineup of Anderson/Squire/Rabin/Kaye/Wakeman/White. To see that printed made me curious to hear what that would be, to me it looked like a continuation of the Union lineup, just minus a couple members. I always knew Bruford wasn't going to stay for too long anyway. It never happened of course, but the idea of Wakeman in there - I imagined it being a Union thing for real this time, just minus Steve and Bill - rather than a 90125 lineup with added Wakeman.

With ARW, I thought we'd finally get that Victory Records Yes to some degree but, naw - let down there again. But what eventually came out as Talk I really got into and love to this day. But it was weird going back to that lineup. To me Talk felt like a step sideways rather than backwards.

[PhaseDance]

So to chime in, I don’t hate “The Who - It’s Hard”, but I don’t put it on either……I guess it’s a low to be honest.

It's Hard is no Quadrophenia or Who's Next, but I still like a few tracks on it. Athena is a legitimate earworm and I've always loved Eminence Front, even Pete's solo version:

I don't skip Cooks County or Cry If You Want. I enjoy Pete's cutting guitar work on those.

Psychoderelict, on the other hand? I never listen to it. Pete lost the plot at that point.

[michelforest]

I think part of the problem with the long gestation of some of these records was Anderson not floating in until the last second. Even back then, gone were the days when the band got together and focused on making music. Too many other distractions, I suppose. Also, I think he and Rabin butted heads a lot, if I recall correctly.

I believe BG was held back because some members of the band were partying a bit too much at that time and also because Horn and Rabin kept arguing, until Horn quit and they had to restart all over again. Didn't they scrap most of the stuff that they recorded in Italy?

As for Talk, I read that it took a long time because it was one of the first albums recorded straight on hard disks and it was a technical nightmare. That, and Rabin taking forever to mix. (I'll always be convinced it was a mistake to let Rabin produce and mix on his own.)

[Olorin]

That said, I still remember my disappointment when Talk was released with the 90125 lineup....to go back to the 90125 lineup looked like a step backwards. There was also the fact that, as usual with an album with Rabin involved, the record took forever to arrive.

Let's face it: for Yes, the years between BG and OYE were a huge mess.

I also was very crestfallen. Looking back now, I know it was naive of me, but I was just an impressionable 30-something.

I think part of the problem with the long gestation of some of these records was Anderson not floating in until the last second. Even back then, gone were the days when the band got together and focused on making music. Too many other distractions, I suppose. Also, I think he and Rabin butted heads a lot, if I recall correctly.

[michelforest]

Finally took a look at the list. I don't know much of these albums, but I noticed a lot of them were released in the 80's and 90's (or at least, it's my general impression), which doesn't surprise me much.

"Calling All Stations" at number 41 is generous, I would have put it a bit higher, around number 25 or so.

And Van Halen III at 48 is just not right. It would definitely make my top 10, or in this case, my bottom 10.

[Gtkgasman]

Had to check out the list and see how many others I had. 😁. Not as many as I thought I would. Many many are out of my wheelhouse though and I don’t know them. Just had a couple. So to chime in, I don’t hate “The Who - It’s Hard”, but I don’t put it on either……I guess it’s a low to be honest.

so, I only play Union a few times a year, and on my annual ‘play em all in order’ at some point each year. It’s bottom tier of the Yes collection for sure, and actually I’ll choose a boot of yes/abwh demos before putting it on. I like a lot of bits and pieces of Jon’s vocals across the record. That being said, I’ll throw it on before H&E and TQ though.

Oh - so, for the ELP thread - yeah, In the hot seat, it’s bad 🤣. And I’m easy going as it pertains to criticism. And I can listen to all three of them sing/play anytime. Haha. Looks good in the ELP section only. Love Beach has its charms, Officer is good, and Lakes vocals are wonderful as always, may not be top tier, but glad we got another record with his vocals.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Hate to sound like the champion of crap albums, but Hot Space by Queen - actually a pretty fun album. I don't mind that one at all. Contrary to what's said about it, it's not all dance/funk/80's pop - side two is traditional Queen in the usual various styles. But I can see why some would reach for the sick pail for Body Language. Some of the album is not for everyone. But Hot Space - not as bad as you remembered it.

[PhaseDance]

Heaven and Earth: beige prog pottage

Spot on.

[gbh90125]

I think given how many dodgy albums Rick has put out in, he's got a bit of a cheek always harping on about Union, even though I'm not it's greatest fan.

His 'Golden Period' from Six wives through to Rhapsodies ( the A&M years) , skip a few to include The Burning and 1984, collectively has produced 9 albums that are worth listening to, and that's out of an estimated 100.

[michelforest]

Yes, I thought the tour would act to galvanise the band and we'd see something in some form from this larger lineup. How Im not sure, but a large length album with not everyone playing on all tracks would be good (though I can hear egos exploding) - Howe and Rabin certainly have pretty incompatible styles though, no-one's fault, but at that time album lengths were increasing to fit CD sizes.

The problem for Yes was that they didn't have a record deal after the Union tour and a CD with 8 musicians would have cost another small fortune to make. The clash of egos and musical styles would have doomed the project from the start.

That said, I still remember my disappointment when Talk was released with the 90125 lineup. I didn't like "Union" and didn't care much for "ABWH", but to go back to the 90125 lineup looked like a step backwards. There was also the fact that, as usual with an album with Rabin involved, the record took forever to arrive.

Let's face it: for Yes, the years between BG and OYE were a huge mess.

[Ash Armstrong]

This could be a big nothingburger, but I noticed yesterday that on streaming services “ Take The Water To The Mountain” now has “edit” appended to the song title. Most of us know about the longer version of the song from the Arista promo, but that has never been released beyond the promo. Does an official acknowledgment of the existence of a longer version imply that some vague plans are afoot to make the longer version available?

I was disappointed the aborted ABWH tracks weren't included on a bonus disc with the reissue of the first ABWH album. I have an unofficial CD though. I really like Take the Water to the Mountain as it is. I've got a CDR I put together years ago that sequences it with Nine Voices. Works nicely together.