Concept Albums That Aren't???

Sonicfrog · #1 10-05-2011, 12:32 PM

I got this idea from another thread. Factorplayer provided a link to a hilarious album review, where the writer said this:

Quote:

For one thing, how can you make a concept album where the concept is almost impossible to discern?

Which made me immediately think of Pete Townsend's "White City". It's a good enough album, but it was supposed to have a concept, an interlinking thread that I never got! Can you think of any other "concept" albums where the concept is either not discernible, our just so stupid that it ruined the album?

Oh, I just though of another. "Duke" by Genesis (which is one of my favorite albums) was supposed to be a concept album about a character "L Albert" who does things or something. But, for some reason, they just throw out the narrative half way through the record, and then pick it up again at the end. I still love the album though!

Tituscrow · #2 10-05-2011, 01:05 PM

The Elder. I love that album. Only You, Under The Rose and Mr Blackwell are Simmons finest 12 minutes

As a 'concept' though, it blew.

Frank Tuesday · #3 10-05-2011, 01:58 PM

Sgt. Pepper.

So you're pretending to be a band that plays music just like you play? Right. So you've got costumes and fake names. Not much of a concept.

Roscoe East · #4 10-05-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonicfrog

it was supposed to have a concept, an interlinking thread that I never got!

Wait, so because you never got it the concept doesn't work? Riiiiiightt...

I think one of the reasons someone might make a concept album is because a central organizing concept can provide the artist with inspiration and motivation. Whether or not that concept is even necessary for the listener to comprehend might only be a secondary concern...if one at all.

Does anyone "get" the concept behind Tales From Topographic Oceans? Who cares? the underlying concept motivated Yes to produce a crapload of music.

It's the concept albums where the concept is really obvious that are suspect, imho.

onlyclave · #5 10-05-2011, 08:06 PM

Phish "Rift".

AlvarHanso · #6 10-07-2011, 02:57 PM

Sgt Pepper immediately came to mind. Also, Pet Sounds. The only concept albums I ever actually grasped the concept of were Who Sell Out (the most brilliant one, IMO), Tommy, Quadrophenia, Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, and The Wall.

Rift isn't a concept album, it has a conceptually designed cover.

XtheDeadPawn · #7 10-07-2011, 03:50 PM

I got done writing one. I am not a signed so it'll collect dust most likely but, it's about a guy with mental disorders that keeps getting the short end of the stick and eventually gets fed up so he loses his faith in God. Then he gets prescribed these new pills by his therapist so he takes them becomes addicted starts hearing voices that convince him to take his life and ends with police breaking down his door and a gun going off.

Almost every song in the 13 song saga begins with a spoken diary entry from John which shows were the story is and hints at were the story is headed.

Truth be told some of my favorite concept albums are: Boys Night Out - Trainwreck and Senses Fail - Still Searching. Honestly I never fully got the concept for the Wall can one of you guys lay it out for me?

Muddslide · #8 10-08-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonicfrog

...made me immediately think of Pete Townsend's "White City". It's a good enough album, but it was supposed to have a concept, an interlinking thread that I never got!

I remember having White City (on cassette!) back in the 80s. Yeah, some pretty good tracks on it but I see what you are saying about the "concept" being pretty loose.

I could easily be wrong (happens all the time!) but I seem to recall that White City was originally slated to be the soundtrack for a film project Townsend was involved in, but the film never got made.

Sonicfrog · #9 10-08-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roscoe East

Wait, so because you never got it the concept doesn't work? Riiiiiightt...

I think one of the reasons someone might make a concept album is because a central organizing concept can provide the artist with inspiration and motivation. Whether or not that concept is even necessary for the listener to comprehend might only be a secondary concern...if one at all.

Does anyone "get" the concept behind Tales From Topographic Oceans? Who cares? the underlying concept motivated Yes to produce a crapload of music.

It's the concept albums where the concept is really obvious that are suspect, imho.

Point was... Nobody got it! Even after it was explained that it was basically a soundtrack to a movie Townsend made of the same name, it still didn't really make sense as a concept. It was a soundtrack.

AlvarHanso · #10 10-09-2011, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtheDeadPawn

Honestly I never fully got the concept for the Wall can one of you guys lay it out for me?

Pretty much it's about Waters's suffering from a nervous breakdown, induced by tensions in his life spilling over into tensions in the band and vice versa. So, he constructs a metaphorical Wall to keep himself cut off from the world, and to keep the world from intruding on him, and to keep himself from feeling the pain of being human. Various key points in his life become Another Brick in his Wall, most famously, his horrible experiences with school stemming from sarcastic and brutal teachers (who he points out, are themselves victimized by their "fat psychopathic wives thrash[ing] them within inches of their lives"). Comfortably Numb comes directly from an experience at the Spectrum in Philly where Waters broke down before the show and was given injections to allow him to play the show while numbed to the emotional pain. Of course, it's not straight autobiography, there is no Trial for instance, but it's fairly autobiographical. He's talked in recent years about that period and how he's finally come to terms with his demons and lives a very happy and healthy life now. He says he was a miserable person dating back to the Dark Side era. In footage of him live and in interviews, he does seem really happy.

XtheDeadPawn · #11 10-11-2011, 03:35 PM

Wow I never really got it. Now I think I do thanks. Well you guys know what I'll be doing for the next 4 hours. (The album and movie)

tangentmusic · #12 10-11-2011, 03:47 PM

"Who's Next" was originally supposed to be a concept album called "Lifehouse".
Townshend could'nt explain it to the band and management and sorta had a bit of a mental meltdown over it. "Who's Next" ended up being one of the best (if not THE best) albums of theirs.

**Mound of Sound** · #13 10-11-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlvarHanso

Rift isn't a concept album, it has a conceptually designed cover.

I believe in a promotional video interview, Trey explains that Rift is in fact a concept album, about a dream or something of the sort. I'll try to dig it up later.

EDIT: Here ya go - check out around 1:30

AlvarHanso · #14 10-12-2011, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mound of Sound

I believe in a promotional video interview, Trey explains that Rift is in fact a concept album, about a dream or something of the sort. I'll try to dig it up later.

EDIT: Here ya go - check out around 1:30

Weird, I had that video appended to an old show on video and had forgotten that explanation. Thanks for refreshing me! Weigh must have been a hell of a nightmare for the protagonist!

Against Will · #15 10-12-2011, 09:56 AM

Everyone I know says OK Computer and Kid A are concept albums, I've gotten into a number of arguments over it but none of them have really led anywhere. There's a difference between a coherent album with a recurring theme and a "concept album".

Also, De-Loused in the Comatorium, if you have to release a companion book to explain your concept album its not, in my mind, really a concept album. Maybe a concept multi-media project that includes accompaning music, but not an album.