Instrumental Concept albums?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=77651
Printed Date: July 19 2025 at 01:46
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Topic: Instrumental Concept albums?
Posted By: Gnomonaut
Subject: Instrumental Concept albums?
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:19
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I was reading the post below about all the bands with concept albums and it reminded me of something I was wanting to ask a while back. What are some good examples of concept albums by instrumental bands? I can't really think of many off the top of my head. I am in an instrumental band called Gnomonaut ( http://www.gnomonaut.com" rel="nofollow - www.gnomonaut.com ), and our new album is based around a very loose concept, but it is mostly known only to us. We hint at the concept through the titles and order of the songs, as well as the use of some of our effects. Its streaming on our site if you'd like to check it out, by the way (love to hear comments). If any of you guys know of any other instrumental bands with concept albums, I'd like to hear them. Also, what other methods, other than the ones I mentioned, have these bands used to get across their concept?
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Replies:
Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:20
| All Red Sparowes albums except for their most recent one |
Posted By: TheGazzardian
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:26
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Just yesterday I read about a new release by an avant band called "Caterpillarmen" that was an instrumental concept album. I listened to it and enjoyed it. It is available for free streaming at: http://caterpillarmen.bandcamp.com/album/caterpillarmen" rel="nofollow - http://caterpillarmen.bandcamp.com/album/caterpillarmen
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:28
| Camel's Snowgoose. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:42
Despite not intending to be.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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harmonium.ro wrote:Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:44
They came up with the titles and the supposed "inspiration" after they made the album? |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:48
No, they wanted readings from the book but were not allowed to. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 16:49
Haha, I didn't know that. |
Posted By: Ixirn
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 17:02
| I'm not sure if Excelsior! by Mastermind is intended as a concept album, but it certainly feels like there is some sort of story in there, possibly involving some sort of travel, and weather plays a key role. Could be that I'm reading too much into it though.. |
Posted By: jonno
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 17:09
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Here's three that spring to mind Psi Corps - Tekeli li and All Roads Lead to Amber
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 17:17
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Roger Glover - Elements (1978)
Solo album by the bassist of Deep Purple. Simon Phillips on drums.
Not very great in my opinion. But I like "The Third Ring's Watery Flow ".
Track list:
1.The First Ring Made of Clay (R. Glover) 7:45
2.The Next A Ring of Fire (R. Glover) 9:45 3.The Third Ring's Watery Flow (R. Glover) 9:00 4.The Fourth Ring With the Wind (R. Glover/M. Birch) 6:33 5.Finale (R. Glover/M. Birch) 2:17 There must be countless of instrumental concept albums. Often it's a matter of how you define it.
I bet Tangerine Dream has quite a few. ------------- http://www.lastfm.se/user/wilmon91" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: seventhsojourn
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 17:21
| Rick Wakeman |
Posted By: jonno
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 17:29
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Any of Jarre's albums..... Any Tomita albums.... It's a big list that could be built...........
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Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 19:47
| Does Vangelis Albedo 0.39 count? |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 21:11
| Rick Wakeman's "The 6 Wives of Henry the VIII", and it's available on it's original 70's studio version, or the new orchestral live version. Wakeman did a few other instrumental Concept albums, the one that I remember is 7 Wonders of the World (though this one is rather New Age instead of Prog), which was later re-released, with new names for the songs, as Stories from Middle Earth (as a matter of fact, this other one has 6 of the 7 songs from 7 wonders, plus 3 or so other purely piano songs from another album). |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 21:20
| ^ Oh yeah, and Criminal Record, from Wakeman too, is a great (almost) instrumental concept album too. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 19 2011 at 21:24
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Djam Karet - A Night For Baku ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Shevrzl
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 00:25
| Check out Hostsonaten's Seasons Cycle Suite. It's made of 4 albums, each for a particular season. I don't have the whole things, but from the first two albums that I have, they're mostly instrumental. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 06:55
Neither did I, but it doesn't count as he said "instrumental bands", and Camel aren't.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 06:58
I think Snowgoose is entirely instrumental but I may be wrong. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:08
It is, but Camel's entire output isn't. So not a (strictly speaking) instrumental band. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:10
| Yes but this is about albums. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:11
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:12
| Yes, Instrumental Concept Albums. Snowgoose fits. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:13
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:14
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That's why I said you sometimes qualify as a troll.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:14
Instrumental Concept albums? |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:16
Not in this case. On topic and hammering home a point you fail to aknowledge. Who is the troll here? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:17
That is the thread title...the truth is in the detail. If we all just read newspaper headlines where would we be? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 07:17
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Lord of the Rings - Bo Hansson ------------- 
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Posted By: akaBona
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 08:03
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Samla Mammas Manna - Snörungarnas Symphoni (Symphony Of The Brats) Pekka Pohjola - Harakka Bialoipokku (B The Magpie) |
Posted By: irrelevant
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 09:36
Why should it matter if it's an instrumental band or not? So long as the albums mentioned are instrumental concept albums why would it be a problem? ------------- https://gabebuller.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - New album! http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385 |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 10:06
It isn't a problem for me. Believe me. I couldn't give a toss. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 10:26
| The thread title certainly interprets the OP in my way, that's why I quoted it. We can't pretend it's not there! |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 10:30
Because its not what the OP asked for? Blotted Science- The Machinations of Dimentia Guapo- Five Suns, Black Oni Karda Estra- Eve Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses- Perils ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 10:47
It's a headline only. The post contains the context. But Snow Goose is an excellent recommendation anyway you look at it. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 11:08
The context is not explicit enough - hence our debate. It's a great album indeed - the OP should better like it  |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 11:13
This debate is the best thing about this thread! And you're right, the OP confuses the issue slightly.  And he had better like Snow Goose!  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Gnomonaut
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 17:24
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Damn, I step away from the site for a while and a full-on debate breaks out! Nice! Anyway, to clarify my original post, I was mainly talking about instrumental albums, but since I am in an instrumental band and mentioned that, I guess that sort of clouded things. Sorry. I had forgotten about many of the albums mentioned in this thread, and some of them are definitely new to me, so thanks for that! The other part of my question that I guess wasn't really addressed was this: What elements do these bands use to convey their concept, and what are some examples that do this well? For example, you mention Snow Goose (of course I love it, guys). Great album that flows very well and is a pleasure to listen to. However, if you're not familiar with the source material there is no way that you can formulate any kind of narrative unless you make up your own. Again, I ask all this because my band http://www.Gnomonaut.com" rel="nofollow - Gnomonaut is an instrumental band and we do albums based very loosely around a narrative, but might like to get a little clearer with it on the next album if we can find some good examples to model.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 17:39
Hah  Isn't Solaris' "Martian Chronicles" also instrumental? That's a symphonic prog album based on HG Wells' book. I don't think the music on an instrumental album can actually recreate / emulate a certain particular narrative. If I put an unsuspecting subject to listen to Snowgoose or other such album and tell him it's the Illiad, how could he know? In the end I think the only thing to do as a band is to create an album whose musical ideas are written in away to bring a sense of "narration", then pick some titles that go with the shapes of the narration and help the listener to visualize some "action". RE Snowgoose, I think it's a concept album even if it's fully instrumental because the way the themes and motifs are developed and re-deployed in various parts of the ensemble actually create a "narration" of sorts. |
Posted By: ProgressiveAttic
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 20:20
There are some vocalizations in there but it is mostly instrumental... I would recommend the live version in "A Live Record", simply amazing! Another recommendation if you like Zehul and Avant-Prog: Dun's Eros... inspired on Frank Herbert's Dune ------------- Michael's Sonic Kaleidoscope Mondays 5:00pm EST(re-runs Thursdays 3:00pm) @ Delicious Agony Progressive Rock Radio(http://www.deliciousagony.com) 
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Posted By: Mista-Gordie
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 20:20
| Mike Oldfield-Songs of Distant earth |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 03:32
Buy the book and you get the story. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Oltrelogo
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 05:48
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I think it's a concept album even if it's fully instrumental because the ways the themes and motifs are developed and re-deployed in various parts of the group actually create a telling of sorts. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 07:18
Interesting. Does the musical narration manage to emulate that from the book? That would be quite an achievement. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 07:24
I think so. More or less. As I said originally it was meant to have narration from the book between the tracks I believe or maybe over the sound in parts. The estate of the author wouldn't allow it though. I do have a BBC radio play of it though, which I could send to you if you want. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 08:11
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^ I'd love to! Peter And The Wolf has spoken parts between sections if I'm not wrong, I liked the album but I remember not finding it a great achievement concept-wise. |
Posted By: Al Fleeman
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 11:51
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I've always really enjoyed 'Slow Dance' by Anthony Phillips. Don't really know if you'd call it 'concept' - but the music has a recurring theme. And please check out my album, 'The Water is Wide Variations', which just happens to be an instrumental concept album (choose cd over downloads for full musical effect and 12-page booklet). It's already receiving glowing comments/airplay on internet radio ('The Dividing Line', 'Aural Moon'). If you like your prog on the classical/ambient side, it could be for you - listen at alfleeman.com To Gnomonaut - I enjoyed listening. To be honest, I like my music with more of an emotional tug, but there are some really interesting riffs/phrases going on. Al. ------------- 'The Water is Wide Variations' http://alfleeman.com |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 12:44
I wish I hadn't started it now, but I was just pointing out that the OP clearly stated instrumental bands, so I assumed he meant bands that only recorded instrumentals, which Camel clearly are not. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 12:46
It's OK. I like a lively pedantic discussion. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 12:54
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Pat Metheny's "The Way Up" is a monster record and I think certainly qualifies. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 13:31
Actually no, the OP came back to say he didn't mean exclusively instrumental bands, just instrumental albums (see above) |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 13:33
Much better than an ideological or religious debate IMO. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 13:34
You can't claim you knew that sorry. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 13:46
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Tetrafusion - Absolute Zero
Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34 (some narration)
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 13:48
I made that claim before he returned to clear things. |
Posted By: Gnomonaut
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 15:50
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Thanks for commenting, Al. I checked your stuff out and thought it sounded great. Not as riff-centered and edgy as ours, but it definitely takes the listener to a great place. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 15:56
yes I know. I was there. But you couldn't know his intentions. It turns out you were right, but i was always technically correct. It was the fault of a badly worded post. Not my error. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 11:32
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Godspeed You!Black Emperor - YANQUI U.X.O. (2002)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (2000)
Great stuff.
I think that movie soundtracks can be seen as conceptual as well. At least it's an interesting source if you like instrumental concept albums. I'm not saying that all film scores are like conceptual albums, most of it is made for functioning as background music to enhance the visuals. But the best soundtracks can stand on their own, independent of the movie.
"Alfred The Great" by Raymond Leppard is a favourite of mine. Orchestral soundtrack in medieval style, not very good recording quality though. I also like Vangelis 1492, and Blade Runner. Also Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Silk". I could recommend more, but its not a film score thread after all. ------------- http://www.lastfm.se/user/wilmon91" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: ProgressiveAttic
Date Posted: April 29 2011 at 01:41
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Does Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior count? It is quite cohesive and the titles of the tracks have some relationship between each other...
Gryphon's Red Queen to Gryphon Three Xin Sa's Création de l'Univers ------------- Michael's Sonic Kaleidoscope Mondays 5:00pm EST(re-runs Thursdays 3:00pm) @ Delicious Agony Progressive Rock Radio(http://www.deliciousagony.com)
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Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: April 29 2011 at 02:55
 about Harmonium.ru and Snow Dog! Now I know how you came to over 17000 or 22000 posts, respectively!To OP:
I am not sure, what you mean. Do you mean, which musical techniques are used? I think, there is always a good starting point to listen, how classical composers did it, like e.g. Stravinsky - Le sacre du printemps Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition and the already mentioned Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf just to hear how the composers create certain atmospheres and connect certain instruments to actors/animals. |
Posted By: Al Fleeman
Date Posted: April 29 2011 at 05:57
------------- 'The Water is Wide Variations' http://alfleeman.com |
Posted By: Ogion
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 02:55
| Ralf Nowy - 1973 - Lucifer’s Dream |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 03:01
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no brainer there... Bo Hansson - Lord of the Rings... want to know what it feels like to have a black rider chasing you.. put the album on. Evocative and moody....best instrumental prog album bar none.. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 03:11
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^ Quite a claim. You may be right. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 03:13
 ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 04:10
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Camel - Snow Goose Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge, Ommadawn, Incantations David Arkenstone - In the Wake of the Wind Rick Wakeman - Journey to the Centre of the Earth, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, etc. Uzva - Tammikuinen Tammela Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior Almost anything by Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis Almost anything by Philip Glass
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Posted By: mechanicalflattery
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 06:29
| Eskimo by The Residents (has vocals, no comprehensible lyrics as far as I can tell) |
Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 12:30
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Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 13:22
I am very fond of that record, but it never occurred to me it was a concept album. |
Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 13:26
It's six movements of 1 piece. How is it not a concept-album?
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Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 13:32
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To add a few more: October Equus - Permafrost (it's about to the ill-fated voyage of Lord Franklin in search of the North West Passage. Ships got frozen in, everybody died.) Camembert - Schnorgl Attahk (the invasion of Earth by small basterdly electrical jelly beings from space, including an erotic interlude with a camel) The Flying Luttenbachers - Cataclysm (one of a whole cycle of albums concerning to the collapse of civilisation, the destruction of the Earth and subsequent equally apocalyptic events. This one relates to the confrontation between two monstrous alien entities, The Iridescent Behemoth and The Void) All top fun! |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 14:08
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And let's not forget: Jade Warrior - Kites (and arguably some of the others, but here the track titles alone seem to tell a story) Guapo - History of the Visitation (based on Boris and Arkady Strugatsky's novel Roadside Picnic, which also inspired the Tarkovsky film Stalker) Jukka Gustavson - Yksin yhdessä...jaloa ylpeyttä yletän...ylevää nöyryyttä nousen (full on religious concept album made after he became a Jehovah's Witness. But surprisingly it's bloody great) |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 14:15
I reckon "movements" is going a bit far. It's six tracks called Introduction and Parts 1 to 5, does that make it a concept album, or just an album where they couldn't be arsed to think of titles for the tracks?
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Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 14:35
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That's a point. But sometimes bands come up with concept albums, and I find it very, very hard to recognize a story or concept at all. (Marbles by Marillion) springs to mind. I think what Heikki Puska did, was trying to create a modern classical album. Maybe he's telling us something through his music like Handel or Smetana or Grieg did, or maybe it's just lazy songtitles. It reminds me of Mike Oldfield, though. And his first four were considered conceptalbums...
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Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 14:38
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I honestly forgot: Ozric Tentacles - The Yum Yum Tree |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 05 2016 at 15:03
Yeah, it is all very debatable where the concepts are embodied by instrumentals, I wouldn't disagree. For me I think it comes down to how the different parts cohere as a whole, or not. Unless you're a student of music theory, and I'm certainly not, that is pretty subjective. Actually, if you are a student of music theory it's probably pretty subjective too  |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: October 06 2016 at 02:42
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While not rock or prog there is a superb and lovely piano album, one of many of his but I really like this one. Le Onde by Ludovico Einaudi. It has its main theme done three different ways and the intro to part 1 is in itself a prelude involving the main theme. Great for when you're exhausted from all that dancing around architecture. (Musical chairs Frank?) Oh look what we have here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNRBCo6fJpY |
Posted By: Ogion
Date Posted: October 06 2016 at 14:46
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SUPREMUS "Artifacts" (2013) Based on the novel by the Strugatsky brothers' Roadside Picnic " |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 06 2016 at 15:52
I was not aware of this, and it makes for an interesting coincidence - along with Guapo's History of the Visitation that is two instrumental prog concept albums inspired by Roadside Picnic to be released in 2013. I don't know of any others, though in late eighties / early nineties there was a British jazz fusion band who went by the name of Roadside Picnic. From what little I recall they were decent but not particularly interesting.
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Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: October 07 2016 at 06:11
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Here's one that isn't even out yet, John Zorn's 49 Acts of Unspeakable Depravity in the Abominable Life and Times of Gilles de Rais. Per the Tzadik web site, in typically understated style: 49 Acts of Unspeakable Depravity in the Abominable Life and Times of Gilles de Rais” is the fifth CD by Simulacrum, an organ trio of unparalleled power that brings the sounds of heavy metal, blues, funk and jazz together with modern classical music. Tighter than ever and able to stop and start at breakneck speed, Medeski, Hollenberg and Grohowski are at their raging best as they blaze through Zorn’s wildest flights of fancy—a ten-movement suite evoking a sick and decadent descent into madness. Driven by an intense and powerful fury, this CD contains some of the craziest sounds you are ever likely to hear as genres, noise, instrumental colors and driving rhythms collide head-on. A jaw-dropping visit to a new musical world where absolutely anything is possible! So, they reckon it's going to be quite good then. Autobuy for me whatever, the Simulacrum band is actually pretty awesome. NB. There aren't actually going to be 49 tracks on it, just 10.
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Posted By: astrowhiz
Date Posted: October 13 2016 at 17:31
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Kylver have two instrumental prog albums on Bandcamp The Mountain Ghost and The Island (with cool proggy cover art :-) https://kylver.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://kylver.bandcamp.com/ ------------- https://bandcamp.com/astrowhiz" rel="nofollow - https://bandcamp.com/astrowhiz |