Favourite "Concept" Albums

[aashton]

Whilst having a surf over at Tom Ports site ( when I can drag myself away from here ;) ) I noticed that he has SuperTramp "Crime of the Century" down as the Greatest Concept Album of all time. Can't say that I disagree - I am also very keen on Rush "2112" and Yes "Tales from Topographic Oceans" and of course Floyd.

As I can feel some music purchasing coming on if any one could recommend other concept albums that I could "explore" it would br greatly appreciated.

Peace, harmony and lack of compression - Andrew

[Scott Wheeler]

You already mentioned Tales so here some you missed. Genesis The Lamb Lie Down on Broadway, The Who Tommy and Quadraphinia

[Claus]

Dream Theater's Scenes Of Memory"
Rush "2112"

[Scott Wheeler]

Oops. Heres one I missed which may be the first one ever. Moody Blues Days of Future Passed

[Drew]

Wouldn't ELP Brain Salad Surgery be considered a concept album? I never get tired of hear Karn Evil 9.

How bout Queensyrche: Empire... There was talk of DCC Compact Classics turning this one into a gold disc but guess it isn't going to happen. :(

[vex]

The Who - Tommy

Pink Floyd - The Wall

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage

Spirit - The Adventures of Kaptain Kopter & Commander Cassidy In Potato Land

Beatles - Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Aphrodite's Child - 666

Paul Kantner - Blows Against The Empire

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick

Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

Kinks - Misfits

Hawkwind - Chronicle of the Black Sword

Triumvirat - Spartacus

ELP - Brain Salad Surgery

Funkadelic - just about anything

Parliment - just about anything

...okay, I'll stop...

[Elegy]

Originally posted by Drew


How bout Queensyrche: Empire... There was talk of DCC Compact Classics turning this one into a gold disc but guess it isn't going to happen. :(



Queensryche - Empire was released on a DCC gold CD. I purchased mine several months ago at a local store (Media Play to be exact). Sounds wonderful to my ears. Mofi was going to release it but the ax fell on the company.

[mcow1]

Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger

[Dave]

You guys name all the common ones. Here's one that isn't so common, but well worth the listen. If you can find the original on vinyl, get it! If not, there is always a Billy Thorpe compilation cd out there.

Billy Thorpe: Children Of The Sun

[Jefhart]

The Kinks - Arthur; just a great album, period.
also - Village Green Preservation Society.

I'll try to think of more, brain freezing, must get back to work.


Jeff

[vex]

I almost mentioned Children of the Sun! Really, I almost did!

It's a great record, actually, not just the mind-blowing and way over-played (in its time) title cut.

[lbangs]

If we're going to mention the over-rated Tommy and Quad, I'll have to throw in The Who Sell Out, at least as much of a concept album as Sgt. Pepper's...

I'd mention Bowie's Ziggy, but I'm not sure that his concept doesn't float into the air somewhere after a few songs. Still, a great album.



Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

[vex]

Yeah, Ziggy is definately a contender here. Great album!

Hey, and if you be the "lbangs" who I think you might be, we certainly cannot overlook:

Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music

:eek:

[Scott Wheeler]

I wouldn't consider Sgt. Peppers to be a concept album. What is the concept? Same with Sell Out.

[Drew]

Oops! I meant Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime of course.

[lbangs]

Originally posted by Scott Wheeler
I wouldn't consider Sgt. Peppers to be a concept album. What is the concept? Same with Sell Out.

Sgt. Pepper's does strike me more as a song cycle than a concept album. The Who Sell Out is a pirate radio spoof / homage. At least until Rael, where it becomes a mini-concept album within a concept album.

Bind-moggling, eh?

Does the entire album tell a story? No. Is it a concept album? For the most part.

MHO, natch.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

[nashreed]

I love concept albums!
Vex mentioned the Kinks "Misfits" as a concept album, but I never thought of it as one. They defintely the "Kinkgs of the Koncept Album" though. "Muswell Hillbillies", "A Soap Opera", "Schoolboys In Disgrace" are great albums! I guess if you look at it, there's a lot of albums that don't necessarily have a thematic story linking the songs together, but a general idea or feel that links them..."Misfits" being a collection of songs about...misfits. The definition of a "concept album" is pretty fuzzy. Is it a collection of songs that strictly in service to forward a story or plot ("The Wall", "Tommy") or can it include a collection of songs that are linked by segues ("Sgt. Pepper's.."), or that has songs that all have a general theme to them, but aren't all about one story in particular ("Nebraska", "Misfits"). Now if there's an album that has all three...my favorite would still have to be "The Wall", over-played as it is.

nashreed

[MagicAlex]

Originally posted by Dave
You guys name all the common ones. Here's one that isn't so common, but well worth the listen. If you can find the original on vinyl, get it! If not, there is always a Billy Thorpe compilation cd out there.

Billy Thorpe: Children Of The Sun

Dave...I've seen you mention this release in several posts. I've heard the song before but not the album. How does the rest of it stack up in comparison to the single?

I like the single BTW!

:D

[vex]

"Concept Album" is a pretty loose term. Now, if we were discussing "favorite rock operas", well, that would be a different story.

I tend to allow a lot of leeway in my definition of what constitutes a concept album, and while The Kinks certainly produced many concept albums, "Misfits" is certainly one of the "looser" ones, and my favorite.

[Scott Wheeler]

Heres one I forgot that i love and is not exactly mainstream. Jon Anderson Olias of Sunhillow. Whlie we are on Yes members Rick Wakeman has done quite a few. For me the most memorable ones were Six Wives of Henry the Eighth, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Criminal Record

[peterC]

Arthur is definitely my number one choice.

Another less obvious one is The Legend Of Jesse James which is sometimes mistaken for a soundtrack. It features some great vocal performances particularly by Levon Helm and Johnny Cash.

[Pope V]

Husker Du - "Zen Arcade"

[Cousin It]

Originally posted by peter castanos
Arthur is definitely my number one choice.

Another less obvious one is The Legend Of Jesse James which is sometimes mistaken for a soundtrack. It features some great vocal performances particularly by Levon Helm and Johnny Cash.

Way to go,Pete !!
Ray Davies writing in the late 60's is some of my fave stuff,Something Else,Village Green,Arthur,Lola.The term "concept album" usually makes me uneasy because I'm going to have to sit thru' at least a hour worth of someone's traumas and anguish but the Kinks stuff from 66-70 is funny,incisive,touching(and sometimes all at the same time).I also like the choice of TLOJJ but have you heard one I actually prefer even more called White Mansions featuring Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter,it is really good.

[Scott Wheeler]

An interesting twist on the concept album was Kate Bush The Hounds of Love which has a concept side subtitled the Ninth Wave. great album.

[Dave]

Originally posted by MagicAlex
Dave...I've seen you mention this release in several posts. I've heard the song before but not the album. How does the rest of it stack up in comparison to the single?
If you're talking about the radio-play version, yes I've heard it. Let's put it this way MagicAlex, if you like the single, I promise that you'll not be dissappointed by the album.

As I recall the "single version" leaves off after the second passage. There are 2 or 3 more as well as almost the whole side of the record is the complete song.

Do yourself a favour and avoid the "Billy Thorpe: Children Of The Sun Revisited" cd and get the original vinyl or get someone to do you a CD-R. The Revisited cd is missing anywhere up to 4 songs from the original.

PS. If you do find someone to do a CD-R for you....could you possibly get me one to please?:cool: