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"Epic" compositions worth giving a spin

Not concept albums, but a single LP side consisting of a work with some sort of unity/continuity.  Possibly with one or more recurring musical themes or ideas.  Could be vocal or pure instrumental and I would think in the 20-30 minute duration.  What made me think of this is "Supper's Ready," by Genesis, which I've listened to a few times recently.  It seems challenging to put together a piece that has repetition and variety such as this and I think they pulled it off nicely.  I especially like the concert version with the added visual interest of Peter Gabriel's costumes, gestures and mime routines, but for me this one works well with just the music.  Does anyone have a favorite one-side long-form piece to throw out?
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Showing 2 responses by martykl

martykl
3,578 posts
 
"Singring and the Glass Guitar"is another interesting one from Utopia.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I'm going to disagree with Bdp re: "The Kinks have two that fit".  They have (at least) three; adding in "Schoolboys in Disgrace".

As to his view that prog rockers "discarded American rock n roll", there's much more than a little truth to that.  Putting aside the technical specifics for a moment, the spirit of early rock n roll was primitivistic and reductionist.  Prog rock went 180 degrees the other way.  OTOH, many "non-prog" bands had already done that years earlier.  Long guitar solos (and any band that employs them) can also be reasonably described as anathema to that early r'n'r spirit.  That covers a lot of ground beyond prog.

While I was a prog fan in the '70s, I'm much less so, now.  My view is less harsh than Bdp's, but I do find that it usually leaves me cold.  Still love a flashy guitar solo, tho.
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