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SouthSideoftheSky View Drop Down
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Points: 1960 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Top rock albums with story line
    Posted: July 20 2008 at 07:23
 

What are your favourite rock albums with a story line? (I didn't want to use the term 'Rock- Opera' because I read in another thread that some people think that Rock- Opera necessarily involves that different roles are played by different singers. But I don't want to argue with that here).

 

I simply mean rock albums that tell a story. So, I do not mean concept albums in general that are based around a theme, but only those concept albums that have an actual story line told throughout the album.

 

Some examples that I like:

 

Tommy by The Who

Quadrophenia by The Who

Babbacome Lee by Fairport Convention

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Rick Wakeman

Return to the Centre of the Earth by Rick Wakeman

War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne

Smallcreep’s Day by Mike Rutherford

Harbour of Tears by Camel

Dust and Dreams by Camel

 

Does The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis or A Passion Play by Jethro Tull qualify? Yes, but only if you can provide a very brief synopsis of the story Tongue

 
 
 
 
 
 
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Points: 3241 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2008 at 09:34
2112?
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Points: 46838 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2008 at 10:39
Originally posted by YesFan72 YesFan72 wrote:

2112?


yes that is one...  I think the topic was 'top' ones.. not silliest...

and was half the album anyway....
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Points: 46838 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2008 at 10:45
for me...   a couple  out of Italy that really stand out as great narratives....

I Giganti - Terra in Bocca
Balletto di Bronzo - Ys
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Points: 8052 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2008 at 11:23
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

for me...   a couple  out of Italy that really stand out as great narratives....

I Giganti - Terra in Bocca
Balletto di Bronzo - Ys


Stole my line.

For me... complete albums:
Criteria for inclusion: Entire album (sorry, Rush Tongue) is with an explicit storyline, not just a theme or partial album.

5 stars...
Ys - Il Balletto Di Bronzo
Tangerine Dream's Rubycon, if it counts, though it is instrumental, so probably not.
Probably something by Magma :)

4 Stars...
Magma - Kobaia
A Passion Play - Jethro Tull (objective 5)
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis
Perdition City - Ulver (not an obvious one, but I think it fits)

3 Stars
Broken China - Rick Wright (The Floyd 3 were excluded, since I felt Animals was more didactic and Dark Side Of The Moon/WYWH don't have a complete storyline), though the storyline isn't hugely emphasised.
The Snow Goose - Camel (escapes rules, since it's based on a book)
Script For A Jester's Tear - Marillion (I can stretch it into a cohesive story. The better Clutching At Straws does not seem to fit my criteria well enough)
Tommy - The Who

2 Stars
The Wall Evil%20Smile

Can't be bothered to sift through the lyrical material of La Masquerade Infernale and Bring Me The Tacos Of The Earth and decide whether or not it consistitutes a storyline, but it could be there. Thick As A Brick could be argued to have a storyline, and would top the list if it did.
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Points: 46838 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2008 at 11:28
Rob... get yourself a copy of Terra In Bocca..  you are in for a treat..  if I haven't blown my street cred with you with some of my recommendations hahhhaha that is.  I bring that album to work quite often.. and the guys eat it up.. and they are not exactly an easy to please crowd. LOL
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Points: 1960 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2008 at 13:37
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

A Passion Play - Jethro Tull
 
A while ago I finally understood the story in this album. It made me appreciate the album a lot more when I got the story. I used to think it was one of the least good Tull albums, but now I love it Shocked

Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis
 
I know this is supposed to be a story about someone named Rael, but I never understood it. Could someone provide a brief synopsis maybe Smile
 
If Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett rejoin Genesis in 2009 they might perform The Lamb live in its entirety and perhaps they could use som visual aids to make the story more intelligble. Like The Who did when they performed Quadophenia live in the 90's.
 
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

The Snow Goose - Camel (escapes rules, since it's based on a book)
 
Well... sure, the story is told only by use of the titles of the songs. And the emotions inherit in the music Smile
 
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

The Wall

What's the story? I know there is a movie based on the album but I havn't seen it.

Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

Thick As A Brick could be argued to have a storyline
 
Please do Tongue 
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Points: 3126 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 11:48
Three that I like, not mentioned so far, are:-
1. Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche
2. Chronometree by Glass Hammer
3. Scenes From A Memory by Dream Theater 
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Points: 46838 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 12:17
Originally posted by Roj M30 Roj M30 wrote:

Three that I like, not mentioned so far, are:-
1. Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche
ClapClap surprised that hadn't been mentioned..
2. Chronometree by Glass Hammer
Exclamation  never heard
3. Scenes From A Memory by Dream Theater
AngryAngry  god frickin awful story.. or maybe not the story itself which was ..quite prog.... but the presentation of the story?...eeeeehhh ....almost as bad as the music...LOL


Edited by micky - July 21 2008 at 12:19
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Points: 1697 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 12:40
I love the story line for BE, by Pain of Salvation. one of the few successful 'god-religion' concept albums.

Ziltoid the Omniscient - Devin Townsend.

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Points: 3737 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:12
2112, SFAM
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Points: 8052 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:18
Originally posted by SouthSideoftheSky SouthSideoftheSky wrote:

Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

A Passion Play - Jethro Tull
 
A while ago I finally understood the story in this album. It made me appreciate the album a lot more when I got the story. I used to think it was one of the least good Tull albums, but now I love it Shocked

Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis
 
I know this is supposed to be a story about someone named Rael, but I never understood it. Could someone provide a brief synopsis maybe Smile
 
If Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett rejoin Genesis in 2009 they might perform The Lamb live in its entirety and perhaps they could use som visual aids to make the story more intelligble. Like The Who did when they performed Quadophenia live in the 90's.

The story's pretty cryptic, and explained partially by the sleeve notes/booklet thing. I'll stick to the synopsis without the spiritual themes and side-plots. We first meet Rael when he's just finished spray-painting his name on a subway wall. He is, I believe, run over, and certainly is killed. He finds himself moving through to the afterlife, alternately finding himself in a cocoon, a cage (where he is first abandoned by Brother John) and on the assembly line of the Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging (side-point, I think this represents different forms of belief in the afterlife or a transition to death). He has a flashback, referencing his youth and his first sexual/romantic encounter. He returns then to his current predicament, at the bottom of a set of stairs, with the carpet crawlers who can't climb them. He climbs the stairs freely and then finds himself in the chamber of 32 doors, with no idea which way to go (only one door leads out).

In it, he encounters Lilywhite Lilith who leads him out into the correct (we assume) tunnel. He finds himself trapped underground and abandoned. There he meets Death, who leaves behind a fragrance. Eventually, he manages to discover a way out into the pool of the lamia (a twist on the idea of original sin, I think), whom he, after a charged encounter, consumes. He leaves through the door he came in through to see the colony of the disfigured slippermen. There he meets John again, and they discover that the only way to return to their normal state is to be castrated by Dr. Dyper. They make this visit, and leave with their detached members in tubes. Rael's is suddenly carried off by a raven, and he pursues it, though Brother John refuses to help him. The tube is dropped into a river, and not mentioned again. Rael sees a vision of his home, but also sees John drowning and must pick between the two. He rushes to save John, and, checking him for a sign of life, he sees that John's face has become his own. Rael's mind disassociates itself from both bodies, and observes both bodies dissolving into a purple haze. It fills everything with its mysterious intoxicating presence.

I never said it would be logical Tongue. To really understand it, I think, you need to really go into the death symbolism, themes involved and deeper subtext of the language used.
 
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

The Snow Goose - Camel (escapes rules, since it's based on a book)
 
Well... sure, the story is told only by use of the titles of the songs. And the emotions inherit in the music Smile

More explicitly (you could know this anyway, but just in case), the album was in fact based on the novella of the same name, and was originally intended to be released in two forms, one with the book being narrated over the music. Permission was refused them.
 
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

The Wall

What's the story? I know there is a movie based on the album but I havn't seen it.

Nor have I, admittedly. The story is that of the rock musician Pink Floyd (*groan*),  whose father is killed in the second world war (a recurring motif, with a couple of completely random near-flashbacks on side two) and how he slowly builds up a mental wall to block out the outside world. Various events include his overly protective mother's influence, the abuse of power by his teachers, his wife cheating on him, drug use/medication, and all of these build up to create The Wall. He tries to appeal for help, but in the end, that doesn't work. Finally, he (and I have my doubts about this part's logic) imagines that his concert is a fascist rally and he is Hitler. After a rather convoluted series of events, he is finally judged by his conscience in The Trial and The Wall is torn down to leave a stark reality.
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

Thick As A Brick could be argued to have a storyline
 
Please do Tongue 


*Flexes extrapolation muscles*

The following is entirely allegorical and extrapolated. I prefer the interpretation of it as a series of birth, growth and rebirth, young replacing old becoming old and being themselves replaced. Admittedly, the album is in some ways a joke on an unrivalled scale, so could simply be arranging themes to mock the dissemblers. I'd really need to do a full examination quoting more of the lyrics than the site would be happy with to justify some of the following ideas.

The story in this case would be the development and life of a man. The story begins at 'spin me back', explaining that the fictional poet is relating the story of his life and the influences on him. From here, it starts with his birth (See there! A son is born), shows the artistic, creative, cultural and practical influences on him, before examining his development of ego and pride (moving with authority) as well as sexuality (contemplates the milking girl), as well as a move from childhood's innocence to self-consciousness. Following this, he displaces his father's role as the family's figurehead following some sort of mental, perhaps even verbal, confrontation. (Also, replacing the older generation in government, control and power.)

He then takes over his 'old man''s role (what do you do when the old man's gone?), imposing the ideas and concepts he's absorbed on the next generation and those of lower social status and authority in turn, while escaping any judgement except the writer's. His role, as a lawyer, or, at least, in court, (taking part in serious, adult situations [had to fit that in Tongue]. but not aware that he's not completed his work) is revealed
 in the next verse. The 'So! Come on you childhood heroes...' verse can, in this interpretation, be considered either an exhortation for the innocence of childhood to rule, or alternatively that the influences during childhood create this man's ideas for later life.

Finally, our protagonist reaches manhood, having taken up both a self-absorbed ideology and yet still uncertain about 'who to call on' or what he should do. Again, we have an appeal to the childhood instincts that have now settled down to 'write up their memoirs' and influence the young. Upon reaching manhood he calms down, (pronounced 'fit for peace') and he is morphed by society to at least appear like he has the answers (teach it to be a wise man/how to fool the rest). The following QUOTE (along with the free jazz section) shows that he is, of course, entirely average, insufficient to handle the responsibilities of indoctrination that should be left to God, and, he doesn't have the originality to be on the 'upgrade'.

The next Later reveals the man's continuation of his childhood habits and ideas even in later life, and his  artistic magnum opus, the Dawn Creation Of The Kings. The thing he finds so important at the time, but turns out to be worthless or soon forgotten. The concluding part is a mocking attack on this. It devalues his ideas as regurgitations of basic human instinct, exhorting the younger generation to rise up from this meaningless repeat to do something truly rebellious and original. The 'summer lightning' is a reference to the all-absorbing nature of the overwhelming potency of cultural traditions. Again, we have the exhortation to childhood rule and the children calming down to something quite ordinary. In this context, the final verse has a triumphant and positive spin on 'Thick As A Brick'. It's shown as uncompromising originality, not tinged by the visions and thoughts of the 'wise men'.

Anyway, that was long...
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Points: 8052 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:18
Originally posted by MisterProg2112 MisterProg2112 wrote:

2112, SFAM


2112 is not an album with a storyline [/pedantry :P]
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Points: 46838 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:27
Rush fanboys  hahhaha....  they'd vote for the so called ..professor... Neil Peart for greatest sax player in prog if he ever once picked one up...LOL

Rush......such a great band... able to create great albums with interesting story lines... without ever once having done one.  A band that good... deserves fans as rabid as they have hahhaha.

have some clappies Rush fan-boys...  you even make the DT fan-boys look like angels
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Points: 28057 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:42
Orphaned Land - Mabool
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element
Pain of Salvation - BE
Marillion - Brave
Ayreon - all albums back to back, white n00bs!
My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want!
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Points: 10094 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:42
Scenes is easily one of my favorite albums
but
not really for the conceptual execution so to speak
the cover art is cool though
the sound effects in Finally Free are a little extraneous but sometimes you need comic relief

also I was under the impression was a sendup of concept albums and prog rock
which is funny because it's the top album on PA right now I believe

anyway favorite album concepts:
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Frances the Mute (even if I'm not 100% sure if I know what it's about yet)
BE
Ziltoid the Omniscient



Edited by heyitsthatguy - July 21 2008 at 13:55


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Points: 3449 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 20:12
After posting in another thread, now this one is on my mind:
 
Frank Zappa's Thing-Fish has a pretty good story line, so good in fact it ended up as a spread in Hustler!
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Points: 1818 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2008 at 21:52
Sudamerica (O el regreso a la Aurora) by Arco Iris.
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Points: 1960 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 22 2008 at 03:47
 
Thanks at lot TGM: Orb for your very interesting thoughts concerning these albums!! I will re-listen to these albums soon and see if I can see it your way, so to speak Tongue.
 
I have never owned a copy of Lamb Lies Down so I didn't know there was a written introduction. I am waiting to buy it until it is released in the new SACD/DVD-Audio version, and hope that the introduction will be re-printed in the booklet.
 
BTW, there is also a written thing in the Quadrophenia booklet that forms no part of the lyrics. When they played it live in the 90's as is shown on the live DVD I have, they brought this text too life, showing pre-recorded bits of video between the songs featuring an actor reading it. Maybe something similar could be made with The Lamb?
 
Also on Camel's Nude album (nobody has mentioned it yet Shocked) there are additional text passages in the booklet telling the story without being part of the actual lyrics.
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Points: 67452 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 22 2008 at 05:40
I'll only mention one:

CMX - Talvikuningas
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