Concept albums
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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=47127
Printed Date: August 05 2025 at 03:06
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Topic: Concept albums
Posted By: DJPuffyLemon
Subject: Concept albums
Date Posted: March 15 2008 at 19:48
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Why I like concept albums...
I've never been overly concerned by lyrics, but it seems that the most interesting lyrics are those found in concept albums. I think there's two reasons: 1) the artist doesn't have to rush the presentation of the lyrics since its spread over the entire album, and also they can be more descriptive, 2) they're just more inspired because instead of thinking up lyrics for "just another song", the lyrics are being made for an entire album.
But what really really holds my attention is the music. What makes a good concept album is that there is a constant theme throughout the entire album. This is underlined because I STRONGLY believe in this statement. I'm not saying you can't have a good album, but a concept album is a special entity. And I emphasise the word entity.
(I'm altering the definition of a concept album slightly because I tink it is more than just a bunch of songs connected by lyrics. I don't know what to call this new type of concept album so i'll differenciate with a capital "K".)
Here's an example, the album Snow, by Spock's Beard is consistent throughout. The songs stay similar musically and even have reoccuring themes. This album is the best example of what I mean. In my opinion, Snow follows the "formula" (and I use the word very loosely) of a Koncept album. I'm not saying that Snow is the best concept album ever because its not, its not even my favorite, but it is a solid Koncept (and also just concept) album. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Deadwing by Porcupine Tree. It is barely a concept album, however the lyrics seem to tie the songs together, I don't even view it as a concept album but since many fans call it one and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadwing - S Wilson is going to make a movie about it . But here's the kicker: none of the songs are related musically.
One of my favorite Koncept albums is MDK by Magma. It is technically one song, however I think that at best, every Koncept album's aim should be to be one composition. Flowing seamlessly from one part to another. This may have been a better example for the above paragraph but I hope you all understand what I'm saying anyway.
Comments?
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Replies:
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: March 16 2008 at 02:06
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Try Mother Gong's "Fairy Tales", Nik Turner's "Xitinoday" or Peter Hammill's "The Fall of the House of Usher" (the 1999 version, which is significantly different from the 1990 version). The best concept albums I know.
-------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: MoreBarlow
Date Posted: March 17 2008 at 02:13
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There are definitely great albums such as Tull's SFTW that exemplify your "Koncept album" idea. I like the idea of the Koncept-- something that is potentially lyrically very related but definitely musically/instrumentally related. The only thing, though, is that you have to be careful, because there are albums that are pretty diverse and musically polychromatic (such as maybe DiMeola's Elegant Gypsy) that progress well, and for which the album is more than the sum of the parts, even though there might not be any central musical concept other than general constants about the artist. There are also things such as, I don't know, Cobham's Spectrum, that have a definite style with a lot of constants, and make for outstanding music, but that you couldn't rightfully call a "Koncept" album. |
Posted By: omri
Date Posted: March 17 2008 at 05:28
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I strongly feel there is a mixup between epics and concept albums. I feel that what you described is kind of a one big epic that consists a whole album. I'm not sure this is better than other kind of concept albums.
I'll take an example of JT's Thick as a brick. This is exactly (if I understood right) a Konsept album as you described it. It's a great album. Is it better than PF's Animals which is IMO conceptual just as TAAB and just as powerfull (maybe even more to my subjective judjment) ?
If you know Chick Corea's "Mad hatter" I would be interested to hear from you how do you desfribe it. For some odd reason it is not here in PA although I feel it is more proggier than Return to forever. ------------- omri |
Posted By: DJPuffyLemon
Date Posted: March 17 2008 at 15:55
I'm not familiar with Cobham's Spectrum, but you really can not call Elegant Gypsy (or Songs From the Wood for that matter), Koncept albums, not even concept albums. Elegant Gypsy is a collection of songs by a talented guitarist, and as you've said: "there might not be any central musical concept other than general constants about the artist."
That last statement applies to Songs from the Wood too, even though its more like "constants about the album". Songs is definately a themed album, but as for a concept, I would love to be proven wrong but as far as I know, there's no story. Potentially, I think its an album about campfire stories.
As much as I love the album, it just doesn't have a cohesive feel. It is themed in the smae way that KC's Lizard album is themed, but Lizard is in no way a concept album.
Thick is great, and yes it would be a Koncept album. And as for Animals...I would say the music is just as cohesive as thick's is. As for the lyrics, i would compare it to Songs from the wood and Lizard because it has a theme, but not a story. Although honestly, its a pretty powerful theme that borders on being a concept album.
Sorry, I'm not familiar with Mad Hatter, I assume that just by judging from the titles its a musical version of the book? Potentially very interesting, I'll look into getting it.
By the way Im not saying that a Koncept is better than a concept or themed album, I'm just saying that they are different things and should be acknoledged. Although, I do prefer the Koncept because in my eyes its more of an adventure.
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MoreBarlow wrote:Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: March 17 2008 at 16:30
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^ Hm. I consider Animals pretty concept. Rick Wright's Broken China would probably hit your Koncept mark. |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: March 17 2008 at 16:42
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Try out Snow Goose by Camel, total superb if you like instrumental stuff.
Nude is really good to. Then you can have TAAB many others, I really don't want to name much cause I really don't know is what you're looking for, a Koncept album. |
Posted By: omri
Date Posted: March 18 2008 at 12:49
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O.K.
It seems to me that I understood right so I will say some more words.
Thick as a brick is deffinitely what you call Konsept . It's actually one story, one big epic album. IMO it's a great album . Animals is a concept album. If we ignore for a moment the starter and closer "Pigs on the wing" it contains 3 great epics, very different musically cause they describe 3 different kinds of persons or better said 3 different ways to live lonley and poor life. The music here serves the idea of those 3 very different ways that each of them makes you waste your life. The conclusion is one - life on earth is hell ! Now, Pigs on a wing starts the album with suspect and finishes it with fear saying that it doesn't matter what your aproach is, it comes from bad feelings.
Both albums are great and both albums are built to serve what the artist wants to say. The construction of the album is just the tool and not the art itself. Therefore I prefer to respect the art and not the tool. I agree that any concept withh or without the capital K is an adventure and when it is done well it is amazing.
And yes, Mad hatter is based on Alice in wonderland and is in the middle of the 2 examples I just wrote of. It contains 9 tracks where music flows from one track to the next. It is very melodic and jazzy (Flora Purim from return to forever also sings here) and if you like this kind of music I believe you'll enjoy it. ------------- omri |
Posted By: KrakAtack
Date Posted: March 19 2008 at 00:50
 The band completed a new concept album in 2007, entitled http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sale&action=edit&redlink=1 - The Sale , which features the return of original bassist Joe Macre performing and co-producing the record with John Palumbo. from wiki All parts were recorded separately and sent to John and Joe to produce. |
Posted By: KrakAtack
Date Posted: March 19 2008 at 00:58
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Wakeman - Rick Wakeman - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Wives_of_Henry_VIII_%28album%29 - The Six Wives of Henry VIII http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Cooper - Alice Cooper - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_%28album%29 - Killer , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_It_to_Death - Love It to Death Someone already mentioned Thick As A Brick and Snow Goose. I could list dozens. Groups such as Horslips, Kansas, even Blue Oyster Cult. Pink Floyd. The Who....of course, Zappa... Alan Parsons...Tales Of Mystery And Imagination............ |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: March 19 2008 at 04:18
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I'm quite fond of concept albums that tell a story.
Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Center of the Earth is the king here, with Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds a close second. The Wall by Pink Floyd would probably come in third.
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Posted By: superprog
Date Posted: March 19 2008 at 05:05
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Radiohead's OK Computer is a beautiful, powerful, moving work with the theme of a future that is simultaneously apocalyptic, dystopian and yet insipid. May not be a concept album in terms of every song 100% linking up to one another in a story-flow........but the mood and feel and sense of despair is so strong thru-out............
truly one of the greatest albums of the 10th century!!!!
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Posted By: superprog
Date Posted: March 19 2008 at 05:06
20th!!!!
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: March 21 2008 at 03:26
| Oh, and lest we forget, Joe's Garage. |