Top 5 Concept Albums - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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Josh18293

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Topic: Top 5 Concept Albums
Posted: August 31 2012 at 16:54

Has to include full albums (but dual, series songs will be accepted, ie: Rush- Fear Series, Cygnus X-1: Duology)

Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: August 31 2012 at 17:54

I could list five Magma-albums, but that wouldn't be very interesting

Magma - St (1001 Centigrades, MDK etc...)

The Residents - Mark of the Mole (+Intermission)

Igor Wakhévitch - Docteur Faust

Yma Sumac - Legend of the Jivaro (from 1957, and possibly the first)

Gong - You (but really Camenbert-Flying Teapot-Angel's Egg-You)

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Posted: August 31 2012 at 18:09

I can't think of 5 Concept Albums that i actually enjoy.

I do know that Deloused in the Comatorium would top any list i would compile though.

Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.

smartpatrol View Drop Down

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Posted: August 31 2012 at 18:18

Concept albums:
1.Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
2.Rush - Clockwork Angels
3.David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
4.Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

Song Series:
1.Rush - Fear
2.Rush - Cygnus X-1 Duology
3.King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic

Side longs:
1.Genesis - Supper's Ready
2.VDGG - A Plague of the Lighthouse Keepers
3.Yes - Close to the Edge
4.Rush - Hemispheres
5.Rush - 2112

Edited by smartpatrol - November 25 2012 at 20:09

Fox On The Rocks View Drop Down

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Posted: August 31 2012 at 18:21

Man, only five? Let's see:

1. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis
2. In A Glass House - Gentle Giant
3. Deloused In The Comatorium - The Mars Volta
4. Oceanic - Isis
5. M.D.K. - Magma

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Posted: August 31 2012 at 18:21

Josh18293 wrote:

Has to include full albums (but dual, series songs will be accepted, ie: Rush- Fear Series, Cygnus X-1: Duology)

Series Songs aren't even close to Concept Albums, especially the ones listed that appear on different albums entirely.

Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.

Eria Tarka View Drop Down

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Posted: August 31 2012 at 21:40

1. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis

2. De-loused In The Comatorium - The Mars Volta

3. Three Friends - Gentle Giant

4. Animals - Pink Floyd

5. Abigail - King Diamond

Edited by bytor2112 - September 02 2012 at 00:27

Zargasheth View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 00:24

I haven't really heard enough concept albums to make a list--but The Dark Side of the Moon and especially Gentle Giant's The Power and the Glory are favorites of mine. Great music and well-executed concept combined.

thellama73 View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 07:20

Saperlipopette! wrote:

I could list five Magma-albums, but that wouldn't be very interesting

Magma - St (1001 Centigrades, MDK etc...)

The Residents - Mark of the Mole (+Intermission)

Igor Wakhévitch - Docteur Faust

Yma Sumac - Legend of the Jivaro (from 1957, and possibly the first)

Gong - You (but really Camenbert-Flying Teapot-Angel's Egg-You)

You continue to impress me with your excellent taste. I have been singing the praises of Yma Sumac on this board for years.

HarbouringTheSoul View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 08:18

Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Gentle Giant - The Power and the Glory
Gentle Giant - Free Hand (if this doesn't qualify as a concept album, substitute with The Mothers of Invention - Absolutely Free)
Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
Pink Floyd - Animals

An admittedly lame selection.

Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 08:23

^Thanks! Glad I went beyond that compilation I had for years and started buying her actual albums.

Do you know this particluar one? Its as overlooked and underappreicated as it is spellbinding. The Allmusic review just makes me angry, cause he obviously haven't been listening the album in question. I sure don't hear any chintzier, 50's pop production, mainstream Latin pop or quasi rock 'n' roll...

Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 08:24

thellama73 wrote:

Saperlipopette! wrote:

Yma Sumac - Legend of the Jivaro (from 1957, and possibly the first)

You continue to impress me with your excellent taste. I have been singing the praises of Yma Sumac on this board for years.

Thanks! Glad I went beyond that compilation I had for years and started buying her actual albums.

The Jester View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 08:28

hmmm I don't have the time to think about it so much, but here are the ones that are coming now to my mind...
(And I like them of course)...

Pink Floyd: The Wall
Marillion: Misplaced Childhood
Rush: 2112 (Does that count?)
Genesis: The Lamb lies down on Broadway
Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick (Again, does this count?)

If anybody wants please visit: http://www.gfreedomathina.blogspot.com/

This is my Blog mostly about Rock music, but also a few other things as well.

You are most welcome!

Thank you. :)

thellama73 View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 10:01

Saperlipopette! wrote:

thellama73 wrote:

Saperlipopette! wrote:

Yma Sumac - Legend of the Jivaro (from 1957, and possibly the first)

You continue to impress me with your excellent taste. I have been singing the praises of Yma Sumac on this board for years.

Thanks! Glad I went beyond that compilation I had for years and started buying her actual albums.

I think I have every one of her studio albums except that one, which I can't seem to find. As a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, that review makes me angry as well. :)

Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 10:39

thellama73 wrote:

I think I have every one of her studio albums except that one, which I can't seem to find. As a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, that review makes me angry as well. :)

Good.

If don't have a problem buying second hand, it shouldn't be to difficult to get a hold of a copy. Amazon's got plenty of CD's for sale from $0.99 and LP's from $14.99 (+ $2.98 in shipping). There's also an overpriced new CD for $39.99

presdoug

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 11:43

I don't have enough concept albums i like to make a proper list, but a couple i love are

Triumvirat-Illusions On A Double Dimple
Triumvirat-Spartacus

AEProgman

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 21:38

Pink Floyd - Animals

Nektar - Remember the Future

Neal Morse - One

Queen - Queen 2 (just reviewed it so it was fresh in the brain)

Transatlantic - Whirlwind

progbethyname View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 21:59

What a great forum discussion. Conceptual albums huh?? Well 5 is tough cause I love so many, but here it goes.

1) Operation Mindcrime (Queensrÿche)
2) Metropolis pt2: Scenes of a Memory (Dream Theater)
3) Legend pt 1,2,3 (Saviour Machine)
4) A Pleasant Shade of Gray (Fates Warning)
5) the Wall ( Pink Floyd)

Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣

Dayvenkirq View Drop Down

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Posted: September 01 2012 at 22:01

smartpatrol wrote:

King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic

Yes - Close to the Edge

^ Concept albums? Really?

A few years ago I would have said: (In no particular order ... except for the order in which I have thought of those albums)

Yes - Tales

Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick

Pink Floyd - Animals

Pink Floyd - The Wall

Pink Floyd - WYWH

Now I'm thinking:

Yes - Tales

Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick

Pink Floyd - Animals

Pink Floyd - The Wall

Genesis - SEBTP (eh ... kind of a concept album, but if you insist on a solid substution, ...)

...

Pink Floyd - DSOTM

(Not gonna go with Aqualung 'cause, as Ian said, "It's not a concept album.")

Now that we are discussing concept albums, I've just noticed that of all the major prog bands KC is probably the only one that hasn't come up with a single true concept album.

Edited by Dayvenkirq - September 01 2012 at 22:08

HarbouringTheSoul View Drop Down

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Posted: September 02 2012 at 05:52

Dayvenkirq wrote:

Now that we are discussing concept albums, I've just noticed that of all the major prog bands KC is probably the only one that hasn't come up with a single true concept album.

True. The closest they come IMO are Discipline, which has a unified musical philosophy, and Beat, on which most (but not all) songs are influenced by beat poetry.

I'm not very familiar with Rush's extended discography, have they ever released a full concept album?