Best/Worst Concept Albums

JBnaglfar

What are your favourite/least favourite concept albums? Being a fan of prog - both prog rock and metal - I love a good concept album, something that really draws me in for 45-80 mins. Here are some of my likes and dislikes.

Favourites:
Opeth - Still Life
Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory: Metropolis Part 2
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Camel - The Snow Goose

Dislike:
Avantasia - The Metal Opera
Angra - Temple of Shadows

Although I love most songs on Angra's album, it just doesn't really work for me as a concept album. So, any thoughts?

Shryke

Tommy by The Who immediately jumps to mind as one of the best.

GhostInTheRuins

Good topic. I love a good concept album. If I was to choose my favourite 3 they'd be:

Operation Mindcrime - Queensryche
Streets - Savatage
The Edge - Eternity X

As for bad ones, you mentioned avantasia's metal opera, I didn't think much of that either. Also Wasp - Neon God 1 and 2 as well.

JBnaglfar

I never really liked Tommy, apart from Pinball Wizard.

Operation Mindcrime is a great album. I can't say I know much WASP

GhostInTheRuins

JBnaglfar wrote: »

I never really liked Tommy, apart from Pinball Wizard.

Operation Mindcrime is a great album. I can't say I know much WASP

Mindcrime will always be up there as one of the best concept albums for me anyway. You can add Mindcrime II to the crap list though.

Wasp's Neon God albums might be a bit sh*te but their 'Crimson Idol' concept album is excellent.

JBnaglfar

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

Mindcrime will always be up there as one of the best concept albums for me anyway. You can add Mindcrime II to the crap list though.

Wasp's Neon God albums might be a bit sh*te but their 'Crimson Idol' concept album is excellent.

Right then, I'll keep an eye out for 'Crimson Idol'.

damonjewel

Good

Diamond dogs - David Bowie
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Dark side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Sgt Peppers - The Beatles
Arthur - The Kinks
Village Green appreciation society - The Kinks
In the garden of pharoahs - Popol Vuh
Autobahn/Radioactivity/Man Machine/Trans-Europe Express/Computer world - Kraftwerk



Bad

Metal machine music - Lou Reed
Animals - Pink Floyd (Has its moments but generally could do better)
The Wall - Pink Floyd (Has its moments but generally could do better)
The Final Cut - Pink Floyd

Kess73

Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory: Metropolis Part 2
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Queensryche - American Soldier (although I am stretching what is regarded as a concept album somewhat by including this)
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
WASP - The Crimson Idol
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds.

damonjewel

JBnaglfar wrote: »

I never really liked Tommy, apart from Pinball Wizard.

I understand that some of it appears weak, I put this down to the fact that the album is Rock Opera rather than a Concept album. So for the story to work in Tommy it breaks down in places (similarly The Wall also has a lot of this).

However I think Tommy makes up for it with class songs other than Pinball, e.g. Amazing Journey/Sparks, Acid Queen/Underture, and We're not gonna take it/See me feel me.

Undergod

I always thought that Sgt Pepper was a good album, but didn't really follow the concept through. So it could fall in either category.

I am a big fan of concept albums, my favourites would probably be

Mastodon - Leviathan (Moby Dick is the best)
Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse

mike65

Good

Dark Side of the Moon
Wish You Were Here
Thick as a Brick (parody thats better than most genuine ones)
The Wall (yes its bombastic but its meant to be theatrical with dramatic peaks and troughs)
Operation Mindcrime
Imaginos - thunderous and quite mad concept about the supernatural origins of WW1

Bad
Yes - Tales of Topographic Oceans

Baggio

horslips - "the tain" and also "the book of invasions"
jethro tull - "thick as a brick", "aqualung"
rush - "hemispheres" - "2112" (both had side one of these albums as one big concept.....so i think that counts?!)

worst? not sure,...but KISS had one cant remember the name...i liked a couple of songs on it...but overall was a weak "concept" album.

Undergod

Oh yeah, The Táin of course.

Also ELP's Pictures at an Exhibition, and everyone should check out the original by mussorgsky too.

peter1892

KISS concept album - The Elder? It was a movie soundtrack too, wasn't it?

damonjewel

Baggio wrote: »

horslips - "the tain" and also "the book of invasions"

Good choice

Baggio wrote: »

rush - "hemispheres" - "2112" (both had side one of these albums as one big concept.....so i think that counts?!)

Half an album I dont think makes a concept album, however Cygnus X-1 is over 2 albums. So perhaps its allowed, the only problem is I think Hemispheres is awful. The lyrics just make me cringe in Cygnus X1 Book II

fortuneg

JBnaglfar wrote: »

What are your favourite/least favourite concept albums? Being a fan of prog - both prog rock and metal - I love a good concept album, something that really draws me in for 45-80 mins. Here are some of my likes and dislikes.

Favourites:

Camel - The Snow Goose

Such a great album!

Favourites:

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient
Porcuptine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
Mastodon - Everything from Leviathan to Crack the Skye
Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 & 2
Among many others already listed

Worst:

Spocks Beard - Snow
Plus many others already listed

damonjewel

Camel - The Snow Goose

I never got why people love this album, I find it totally dull. It lacks any edge, The music for "Dunkirk" could be about an exhilirating bike ride rather than a supposed depiction of War and loss. II suppose it has some merits and worth a listen. Its a 5 star album according to Progarchives which has always mystified me

JBnaglfar

damonjewel wrote: »

Camel - The Snow Goose

I never got why people love this album, I find it totally dull.

Guess it's just a matter of personal taste. I love Camel's style of prog - well, the first few albums in particular. The later albums have some good stuff too. I agree that its not very edgy, but there aren't many better albums to chill out to in my opinion

GLaDOS

2 that havent been mentiond that I love are

Ayreon - The Human Equation
and
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane

JBnaglfar

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Ayreon - The Human Equation

Good choice. Ayreon's Into the Electric Castle is another I'd pick, two CDs of awesomeness.

GLaDOS

JBnaglfar wrote: »

Good choice. Ayreon's Into the Electric Castle is another I'd pick, two CDs of awesomeness.

Cool, I'll check it out, I have The Dream Sequencer and The Final Experiment aswell, which are both pretty good

Kess73

fortuneg wrote: »

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

How did I manage to forget those two???

Dark Artist

Two great ones that I like:

Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2
Ayreon - 01011001

I have to say that I dislike The Metal Opera by Avantasia. Haven't heard it all, in all fairness, but what I heard was a bit cringeworthy. One or two nice catchy songs.

JBnaglfar

Just listening to Abigail by King Diamond, thought I'd put it in here as a good concept album.

GhostInTheRuins

Indeed King has a fair few good concepts, Abigail being my favourite followed by Them.

TSO's 'Beethoven's last Night' is a cracker too.

SirLemonhead

I don't generally like concept albums at all. The songs generally don't stand very well on their own, meaning it always feels like a case of "listen to the whole album or nothing" with me.

Operation mindcrime was great and all when I first heard it but I can't stand to listen to the entire thing in one go anymore. Only one or two of the songs still hold my interest. Is Empire considered a concept album? I think I actually prefer that these days..

Streets by Savatage deserves another mention, as back then they were fantastic. Went a little concept album happy after Criss died though. Nice mix of fast and ballady type songs and the guitar playing is fantastic (hairs standing on the back of your neck good at times - check out Tonight he grins again - Criss Oliva played with a level of emotion that I don't think will ever be matched again )

Heart of a Killer by Winter's Bane is pretty cool (and has early Tim "Ripper" Owens on it)

Nobody else will have heard of them, but Night of the crime by Icon is probably my favourite concept album. It was their second album (the first being very raw sounding standard rock/metal affaird) and actually turned out really well. Like Empire, it was one of those "WTF" albums when you first listen to it, and like Empire, I thought it was pretty crap. It was a total grower and I must have listened to it countless times since first hearing it. It's pretty good for picking a random song and having a listen, but It never ever feels like a chore having to sit through the full thing. Someone else did a review of it here - http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2786/icon.html it's a bit flowery sounding though! ("willowy guitar solo" ?!?!)

Seventh son of a seventh son would be on my worst list. It's dull dull dull. ( the title track suffers from the usual tired maiden trick of bruce singing the song title over and over and over and over again for the chorus) Do maiden have any other albums that would be considered concept albums?

Still undecided on Nostradamus. The first disc is pretty fantastic but the second one is a bit dull. They could have done with shortening it perhaps.

SirLemonhead

JBnaglfar wrote: »

Just listening to Abigail by King Diamond, thought I'd put it in here as a good concept album.

I'll have to give more of his stuff a listen. Only he could make the word "gradma" sound creepy

GhostInTheRuins

Baggio wrote: »

horslips - "the tain"

Definitely, I've had the chorus from 'Charolias' popping into my head now and then for the last week.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

can't believe no one's mentioned blind guardian - nightfall in middle earth.


dredg - el cielo is quite awesome as well.

GLaDOS

Dark Artist wrote: »

I have to say that I dislike The Metal Opera by Avantasia. Haven't heard it all, in all fairness, but what I heard was a bit cringeworthy. One or two nice catchy songs.

I unfortunately have to agree with you. Love Edguy and I think Tobias Sammet is a cracking vocalist, but Avantasia just dont do it for me, bar one or two songs.

Good call with Nightfall in Middle Earth btw

GhostInTheRuins

Great post Lemonhead.

SirLemonhead wrote: »

I don't generally like concept albums at all. The songs generally don't stand very well on their own, meaning it always feels like a case of "listen to the whole album or nothing" with me.

I think it depends on how obvious it is that the song is telling a part of the overall 'story' if you know what I mean. The problem is songs that can't stand up on their own, without it being obvious that they're part of a larger storyline.

Operation mindcrime was great and all when I first heard it but I can't stand to listen to the entire thing in one go anymore. Only one or two of the songs still hold my interest. Is Empire considered a concept album? I think I actually prefer that these days..

I think I'm the opposite, I can't really listen to one or two songs from OM anymore, I really have to be in the mood to take it all in. I could be wrong but I'm fairly sure empire isn't a concept album.

Streets by Savatage deserves another mention, as back then they were fantastic. Went a little concept album happy after Criss died though. Nice mix of fast and ballady type songs and the guitar playing is fantastic (hairs standing on the back of your neck good at times - check out Tonight he grins again - Criss Oliva played with a level of emotion that I don't think will ever be matched again )

Although Streets is one of my favourite albums, you have to agree it kind of falls short 'story' wise. It's a bit all over the place and doesn't really have a proper ending. On the other hand, 'Tonight He Grins Again', 'St. Patrick's' and 'Ghost In The Ruins' really show Criss at his best, absolutely stunning guitar playing on those.

Nobody else will have heard of them, but Night of the crime by Icon is probably my favourite concept album. It was their second album (the first being very raw sounding standard rock/metal affaird) and actually turned out really well. Like Empire, it was one of those "WTF" albums when you first listen to it, and like Empire, I thought it was pretty crap. It was a total grower and I must have listened to it countless times since first hearing it. It's pretty good for picking a random song and having a listen, but It never ever feels like a chore having to sit through the full thing. Someone else did a review of it here - http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2786/icon.html it's a bit flowery sounding though! ("willowy guitar solo" ?!?!)

I've never heard of them but I must check that out. Looking at that site I'm surprised to see a review of The Edge on there. I mentioned it in my first post and I recommend it to anyone that likes prog. It's just a fantastic album but unfortuantely just like Icon it seems nobody's heard of them.

Kess73

SirLemonhead wrote: »

Do maiden have any other albums that would be considered concept albums?

While technically not a concept album, A Matter Of Life And Death is close to being one as the album is about war and it's effects.

damonjewel

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

.



I think it depends on how obvious it is that the song is telling a part of the overall 'story' if you know what I mean. The problem is songs that can't stand up on their own, without it being obvious that they're part of a larger storyline.

.

Thats a fair comment, but a concept album doesn't have to be a story book, but a simple collection of songs on the same theme. Animals would be good examples of this

JBnaglfar

SirLemonhead wrote: »

Still undecided on Nostradamus. The first disc is pretty fantastic but the second one is a bit dull. They could have done with shortening it perhaps.

Agreed. I was really looking forward to that album. It has some great songs, but too many just seem like filler/dull. Maybe it'll be a grower, but I doubt it

TheLastBaron

Mastodon have probably produced the three best concept albums (Leviathan, Blood Mountain, Crack the Skye) I've ever heard.

A concept album is an album which follows the direct narrative of a story and/or concept, am I right? Surely most of Marilyn Manson's albums are concept albums...

MoominPapa

Funny thing about Rush is the albums which people call their concept albums 2112 and Hemispheres , Fountain of Lamneth on Caress of Steel is usually forgotten which is a shame - not being the albums title I guess, are all half concept albums which has been pointed out - but to me albums like Signals, Grace under Pressure and Snakes and Arrows are much more concept driven although one or two tracks on each may derail the concept (Countdown on Signals for example)

Anyway I agree that lyrically Hemispheres is dire (particularly the toe curling "The Sphere - a kind of dream") - but musically its fantastic - except for the toe curling .....

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is probably the greatest concept album though, DSOTM, WYWH close, Hawkwinds Space Ritual also and more recently Francis the Mute would be my favourite.

JBnaglfar

TheLastBaron wrote: »

A concept album is an album which follows the direct narrative of a story and/or concept, am I right?

There are two kinds of concept albums, as I understand it. One is the narrative type as you mentioned. The other is an album with all songs based on a central theme, such as Dark Side of the Moon, but with a story as such.

Which leads me to wonder, are groups such as Ayreon, Amon Amarth and Finntroll concept bands?

GLaDOS

JBnaglfar wrote: »

Which leads me to wonder, are groups such as Ayreon, Amon Amarth and Finntroll concept bands?

I've three Ayreon albums and I'd sa they are definately a concept group

damonjewel

JBnaglfar wrote: »

There are two kinds of concept albums, as I understand it. One is the narrative type as you mentioned. The other is an album with all songs based on a central theme, such as Dark Side of the Moon, but with a story as such.

Which leads me to wonder, are groups such as Ayreon, Amon Amarth and Finntroll concept bands?

Wiki sums it up quite well

In popular music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical".[1] Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing to a single overall theme or unified story. This is in contrast to the practice of an artist or group releasing an album consisting of a number of unconnected (lyrically or otherwise) songs performed by the artist.

In the world of musical theatre, there is a separate and distinct form of concept album known as the album musical, in which the performers are playing characters in a story, a type of recording which encompasses such "rock operas" as The Who's Tommy and The Wall by Pink Floyd.

xanthor

I will always have a soft spot for Demanufacture.

PattheMetaller

I rate the following

Symphony X: V-The New Mythology Suite
Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt 2-Scenes From A Memory
Spock's Beard: Snow
Shadow Gallery: Tyranny & Room V
Kamelot: Epica & The Black Halo
Marillion: Misplaced Childhood
Pink Floyd: The Wall

Dark Artist

I might as well throw in Century Child by Nightwish and The Divine Conspiracy by Epica if it's also case of a thematic concept rather than narrative.

DreamerDeceiver

fav. conceptual album : 7th Son of the 7th Son by Iron Maiden, The Crucible of Man by Iced Earth....
worst conceptual album : Nostradamus by Judas Priest