[TSBA - 60s] In the Court of the Crimson King vs Phallus Dei

Doesn't matter who you ask - they'll tell you that the two most relevant schools of progressive rock music are the British and the German ones (also Italy, but we didn't start until 1973). These are, no doubt, the two records that started their respective schools. With In the Court of the Crimson King, King Crimson created a prog-rock manifesto. Alternating between scorching, hard rock songs and tender ballads, all the elements of English prog are here: the musical complexity, the extended length, the tempo shift, the pastoral themes, the proficiency of the individual musicians. On the other hand, I think you're all familiar with the term Krautrock - well, all the elements or krautrock are premiered in Amon Düül II's visionary first album, from the "motorik beat" to the raga/mantra hypnitic build-ups and the ritualistic nature of the performance itself. It's an eerie album, unsettling at times, played by musicians who basically invented a genre because they couldn't duplicate what was going on in the US but who left an indelible mark.

Take your pick - you have 5 days.