King Crimson vs Camel Vs P.I.L. Vs Yes/ELP vs Genesis(p.Gabriel Era)Vs Siouxsie & the Banshees vs Man Vs Groundhogs

I never listened to anything by King Crimson for the longest time mostly because my first exposure to anything about them was Fripp coming off like a major prick in some interviews, slagging on alot of differerent guitar players. I eventually had a band mate that was a serious guitar person and loved KC, so he played me some of their music and I was suprised to find it had some music that was pretty good. Red is probably my favorite LP, as that one has a raw heavy sound. Discipline with the later band is also pretty consistent. There are also some good music on the first one, Larks Tounges in Aspic & Starless & Bible Black. Those albums are a bit more spotty, with some songs that don't really work for me. They are definitely not a "songwriters" band and I think some of their best music is when they get more instrumental.

Yes has a few songs that are pretty good, but I have only listened to a few of their albums, which seem to have at least one or two tracks that just don't seem to fit. At least in the early 70s, they seemed to have a real democratic way of letting everyone in the band have their say on at least one track, so you have inserted these odd instrumentals in between some music that sounds very well crafted. Steve Howe can really play the guitar. I'd probably like to pick up some of their LPs, if I found them in a dollar bin.

I hate ELP. "Lucky Man" to me is a nails on a chalkboard song, I've always despised it. Some of those old Moog sounds are pretty good, but Keith Emerson lays it out like Yngwie.

The rest I have no opinion about. I've never heard much by Siouxee & The Banchees and have always been a bit curious about their music.

I want a Jah Wobble bobblehead.

King Crimson- Once kicked major ass, gradually mutating from their origins as a straightforward symphonic rock band into a kind of proto-metal meets Bartok sound in '73-74(their apex). Re-emerged in the 80s, taking their old ethos and merging it with new wave sensibilities of the period. Re-emerged in the mid-90s, and (IMO) have gradually declined into self-parody. Best albums: Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), Red (1974), Discipline (1981).

Camel- Basically, a sound somewhere between Genesis and Pink Floyd. Leader of the band (Andy Latimer) is often compared to David Gilmour, both in guitar style and in singing. They weren't particularly innovative or anything (they came a bit later in the game), but kind of a steady favorite. Best albums: Mirage (1974), The Snow Goose (1975), Moonmadness (1976), also their comeback album Dust and Dreams (1991) is notable for being a concept album not about fairies and trolls, but about The Great Depression (based on The Grapes of Wrath).

P.I.L.- I like Flowers of Romance for their more experimental leanings, and Album/Compact Disc/etc. for the more edgy-pop leanings.

Yes- You can't go wrong with anything they recorded from 1971-1977 (then again, I'm a former fanboy and still quite a big fan). The Yes Album (1971) makes the best intro. Best albums are Close to the Edge (1972) and Relayer (1974), followed closely by Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973), Going for the One (1977) and Fragile (1972). Also worth checking out for different phases of their career: Yes (1969), Drama (1980), 90125 (1983). Listen to the middle section of "Ritual" on Yesshows (1980) if you doubt just how fucked-up Yes could get when they were at their peak.

ELP- The most bombastic out of those you listed; thus, either a love it or hate it affair. Careened from ridiculously complex keyboard-oriented pieces (written by Emerson, the strongest link) to lurv-rawk ballads (written by Lake, the weakest link). Best albums: the first five, except Pictures at an Exhibition.

Genesis- Everything from the Peter Gabriel era was pretty decent musically; the lyrics, as usual for prog rock, are usually rather silly (and Gabriel's style of lyric-writing back then was a bit busy for my tastes; you can expect lots of goofy puns, double-entendres, etc.). Best albums: I'd say Trespass (1971), made before Phil Collins even entered the picture, is a terrific album, despite the fact that the lyrics show they were obviously teenagers. With Phil on board, I'd say Selling England by the Pound is the most consistent.