Concept Albums

[JoZac21]

My band is currently recording an album which could easily be considered a concept album... it's really two different themes that interweave a la Aqualung or Wish You Were Here... pretty cool for a Soul/Rock band lol... but I digress.

Last night I was listening to NPR and there was a discussion about concept albums... about wether or not they're a great vehicle for musical expression or self-indulgent non-sense... artistic vs. arty.

I, personally, am an enormous fan of a good concept album... a group of songs with a common thematic thread can keep me interested in a record as one musical piece. A bad concept album, though, can be... well, really bad.

What do you think? Are concept albums a great form of musical expression? Are you happy to see them being revived so much in the mainstream? Or, are they egotistical, arty, pretentious garbage? Thoughts?

[tdub0199]

Mastodon has done some GREAT Concept albums.... Pink Floyd as well....

[sanchezja]

I think concept albums have their place. If the story is interesting and engaging, then I'm in.

The Wall, Operation: Mindcrime, Obsolete and Crack The Skye are all concept albums that I listen to and enjoy on a relatively regular basis.

[JoZac21]

I think what I like most about concept albums is that it keeps me interested and wanting to listen for a longer period of time. If it's just a collection of songs, I'm more likely to skip around, listen to a few tunes I like most, or even get bored after 4 0r 5 tracks... simply knowing I'm listening to a concept album keeps me engaged and I'm much more likely to listen to the record from start to end.

With my favorite concept albums, mainly Dark Side of the Moon and Quadrophenia, I approach listening to them as an "experience". I won't listen to either record unless I have time to get from the first to last track and devote my attention to it... while with a "regular" album, I can turn it off at any time or even use it as furniture music.

[NKUSigEp]

I consider a well-done concept album to be an amazing accomplishment. To put complex and well-received music to a certain theme is not for the faint of heart. However, screw it up and you'll make yourselves look stupid lol.

[Hoover]

In the same way that the term "Progressive Rock" has ceased to mean "rock music that is progressive", I think the term "concept album" has ceased to mean "an album in which every tune contributes to and supports an over-arching organizational concept"

Frankly, anything that encourages musicians to embrace more organization -- and to have a freakin' concept about what they're recording and why -- is Okay in my book. Whether or not that means there's some story or poetic conceit or just a pitch collection that links the material is (pardon the pun) immaterial.