In thinking more about Theories of Flight from Fates Warning and how great an album it is, and it is just that, a really great album. I recalled what happened in 2016 and how it ended up my #1 album.
Cloud Cult very early in the year had released The Seeker, an album that still to this day brings me to tears in multiple spots. I really love The Seeker as well. And it was my #1 album for a large portion of the year.
But I guess for me, and I'm sure other people who make the annual Albums of the Year lists and ranking them, and in deciding on the #1 album. Sometimes/some years, I make that decision based on how much I LOVE that band, have long history, and feel very much akin to loving them and their new album. Wanting to love their new album, etc. Feeling that they are MY BAND and their new album IS BETTER than others.
So while I am a very big fan of Cloud Cult and do love The Seeker maybe in some ways more than any other CC album, Fates Warning ended up #1 because they carry that extra FAVORITE BAND element, when making a tie-breaker, it is factored.
Also like in 2009 with Soundscape's Grave New World, an album I longed for, for so many years, and really loved and played an extensive amount of time. But Kevin Gilbert's estate released those compilations that because it is new music from Kevin Gilbert, ultimately won out.
I suppose looking back on it, Soundscape should have been #1 given after all, the KG stuff were just compilations, and a lot of the stuff I knew/had heard, mind you, in much lower quality. But I sort of made an exception that year.
But I think that is an extra factor in deciding my #1 album/ actual ALBUM OF THE YEAR; if the artist is an all-time favorite, I can get won over so much, that I go with my heart with them being my favorite. Even when maybe comparing 2 albums being pretty damn close. There is something about hearing a great new album from a long-time/all-time favorite that means even more to me and many others.
Or there is the idea and occasional option just to choose co-#1's I guess, which I could and maybe will do if faced with this situation again.
But Theories of Flight and Marillion maybe with Marbles and even FEAR, kind of have 1-uped both Rush and Yes in that they made records that are among their 5 or at least 10 best, 20 or or even 30 or more years into their career.
Which also thinking about Fates and ToF, I may try and make a Top 10-20 Fates Warning songs soon given I don't think I have and maybe it's a little overdue.
