Top rock albums with story line
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50296
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Topic: Top rock albums with story line
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Subject: Top rock albums with story line
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 07:23
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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 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 |
Replies:
Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 09:34
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2112?
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 10:39
yes that is one... I think the topic was 'top' ones.. not silliest... and was half the album anyway.... ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
YesFan72 wrote:Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 10:45
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for me... a couple out of Italy that really stand out as great narratives.... I Giganti - Terra in Bocca Balletto di Bronzo - Ys ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 11:23
Stole my line. For me... complete albums: Criteria for inclusion: Entire album (sorry, Rush  ) 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  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. |
Posted By: micky
Date 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. 
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 13:37
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
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
 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.
Well... sure, the story is told only by use of the titles of the songs. And the emotions inherit in the music
What's the story? I know there is a movie based on the album but I havn't seen it.
Please do
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Posted By: Roj
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 11:48
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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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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 12:17
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
never heard
Posted By: keiser willhelm
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 12:40
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I love the story line for BE, by Pain of Salvation. one of the few successful 'god-religion' concept albums. http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=15327 - Ziltoid the Omniscient - Devin Townsend. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/KeiserWillhelm" rel="nofollow - What im listening to |
Posted By: Statutory-Mike
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:12
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2112, SFAM ------------- 
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Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:18
*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 ]. but not aware that he's not completed his work) is revealedin 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... |
Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:18
2112 is not an album with a storyline [/pedantry :P] |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:27
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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... 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 ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:42
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Orphaned Land - Mabool Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pain of Salvation - BE Marillion - Brave Ayreon - all albums back to back, white n00bs! ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: heyitsthatguy
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 13:42
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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 ------------- 
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 20:12
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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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Posted By: crimson87
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 21:52
| Sudamerica (O el regreso a la Aurora) by Arco Iris. |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 03:47
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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
. 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
 ) there are additional text passages in the booklet telling the story without being part of the actual lyrics. |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 05:40
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I'll only mention one: CMX - Talvikuningas |
Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 08:48
If I'm right, Gabriel did read out bits of his story between the songs on the '74 tour. Could be wrong, though. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 12:31
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My favourites, in no order but Pain of Salvations TPE is definitely the best: Abydos- s/t Il Balletti di Bronzo- Ys Dream Theater- Scenes From a Memory Echolyn- Mei (Its a fifty minute song, so I'm assuming its a concept album, if not, scrath it.) Epica- The Divine Conspiracy Jethro Tull- Thick as a Brick Kamelot- The Black Halo Le Orme- Felona e Sorona Marillion- Misplaced Childhood, Brave Opeth- My Arms, Your Hearse; Still Life Pain of Salvation- Entropia, One Hour by the Concrete Lake, The Perfect Element, Remedy Lane, BE Queensryche- Operation: Mindcrime Symphony X- V:The New Mythology Suite, Paradise Lost Suspyre- A Great Divide The Mars Volta- De- Loused in the Comatorium, The Bedlam in Goliath Van der Graaf Generator- Still Life (again, assuming this is a concept album) Vanden Plas- Christ 0 Virgin Black- Requiem Mezzo Forte White Willow- Storm Season ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 14:04
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What about Jesus Christ Superstar ? Although Jesus Christ was a composite the movie and the play sort of follow his life. Ian Gillian was great in the original.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 14:33
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Ayreon's The Human Equation is probably my favorite, although I enjoy all of his/their stories. I also like DT's Scene from a Memory and Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime (and to an extent its follow-up OMII, although nobody else likes that one). ------------- 
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Posted By: Mantra
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 14:37
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Dream Theater's Scenes From a Memory.. Bash it all you want >_> It truly is epic. [/dreamtheaterfanboyness] ------------- 
"I was told, theres a new love that's born for each one that has died." |
Posted By: Mousoleum
Date Posted: July 23 2008 at 00:52
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Marillion: Clutching at Straws and Brave. Spock's Beard: Snow The Kinks: Preservation: Acts I and II, Schoolboys in Disgrace and Soap Opera. The Who: Quadrophenia .....and a lot more. Does Neal Morse's Testimony count? Huh? |
Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: July 23 2008 at 06:33
| SF Sorrow must surely be up there among the very best story based rock albums. |
Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: July 23 2008 at 06:38
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To be expected as this thread progresses: More from Magma fans.
Not to be expectred: Any (other) mention of Harry Nilson's The Point.
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Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: July 25 2008 at 08:14
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Still Life - Opeth I think every Opeth fan knows the story of the protagonist's love of Melinda and keeping her safety in the wilderness. It's a great storyline with great music, so that deserves a mention. Pawn Hearts - Van Der Graaf Generator Now it is arguable that this has no storyline linking the songs, but i would have to say there is. There are three seperate storylines that symbolise the same factor: insignificance. They don't interwind physically, but morally they're almost colliding. As i said though, it is debateable. De-loused in the Comatorium - The Mars Volta Another one of favourites, this particular storyline is as trippy as hell and probably one of the hardest concepts to grab due to Cedric Bixler's bizarre lyrics. However they do, strangely enough, portray the storyline if you look at them on paper for long enough. The actual storyline is excellent and original, and the music is said to be TMV's best work. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles NOT PROG. But a fantastic storyline nonetheless. It takes a while to get the gist of, but the music is enjoyable so there's no need to worry! I think Mcartney and Lennon were at their songwriting peak at this stage, as well as creative peak. ------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value." Arnold Schoenberg |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: July 25 2008 at 14:53
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Protest the Hero - Kezia
------------- Idk, My BFF Steve. http://imageshack.us"> 
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Posted By: ziggystardust360
Date Posted: July 25 2008 at 16:13
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The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust-David Bowie
Tommy-The Who
These have always been personal favorites of mine. ------------- ''I always had the repulsive need to be something other than human''-David Bowie |
Posted By: Carheart
Date Posted: July 28 2008 at 04:00
And speaking of Deep Purple, Roger Glover's "Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast" is excellent as well. |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 16:58
Yeah, its fun! Especially hearing Dio sing some of the songs, it is so far away from Holy Diver
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 17:34
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Skipping the obvious ones!
Triumvirat- Spartacus
Sylvan -Posthumous Silence
Magenta- Seven (yeah, the sins)
Robett Calvert- Captain Lockheed & the Starfighters
Ayreon- Electric Castle
IQ- Subterranea
CAP- Il Bianco Regno di Dooah
LeOrme- Felona e Sorona
Nemo- Si Partie 1 & 2
Maldoror- L'Arbre Cimetiere
Minstrel-Faust (a ISP splendor)
Marrilion- Brave (duh!)
Galleon-Land to Ocean (common theme throughout)
and probably a few others my net missed ! ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 17:40
Interesting! I wasn't even born back then... Does anyone else know something about his?
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 18:12
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Floyd - Wish you were here
Blue Oyster Cult - Imaginos
Marillion - Clutching at Straws
Mandalaband - Eye of Wendor: Prophecies
Arena - Contagion
Caamora - She
Camel - Nude
Nektar - Remember the Future
Spock's Beard - Snow
Salem Hill - The Robbery of Murder
Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking
Roger Waters - Radio KAOS
Gong - The Flying Teapot Trilogy
Genesis - We Can't Dance
 Jon Anderson - Olias of Sunhillow
David Bowie - Ziggy
David Bowie - 1. Outside
Camel - The Snow Goose
Dreamship - Ancestral Voyage
DT - Scenes from a Memory
Eloy - Ocean
IQ - Subterranea
Paul Kantner - Blows Against the Empire
Oh, yeah, and there's that other Genesis album too. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 18:37
Please give us a short synopsis for each album
There are several on your list that I have never thought of as having a story at all
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 18:45
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Which ones? Aside from We Can't Dance. That was a joke ya know. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 19:45
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You mean the working title was "We can't Write?" Or even better "We can't Prog" ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
No more, no more...........No more, no More........Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 19:55
I actually think they could both write and prog on that album. Easily their proggiest and best album since Duke. Listen to Fading Lights, its good!! It is probably a joke though since they could probably dance if they set their minds to it
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 20:00
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AHA! So it's not really a joke , you enjoy that album! It's OK . As the Ozzies say "Good on ya" ! Hey I like Tull's Under Wraps , you can't imagine how many bullets I have to dodge. ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 20:01
I never saw Floyd - Wish you were here as a story. And Nektar - Remember the Future - what's the story?
Olias Of Sunhillow, I figured that was a kind of story but I never quite understood it.
I figured We Can't Dance was a joke. There are some stories in it for sure, but hardly one continous story throughout the whole album.
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Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 20:06
Yeah, I quite enjoy the We Can't Dance album. Its far away from the 70's stuff, but still enjoyable. I prefer hearing the stuff live though on the The Way We Walk DVD. Also containing the excellent Old Medley
 I own Under Wraps on CD, I've had it for a year or two, but never listened to it
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 31 2008 at 23:44
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I guess you can't dance under wraps! 2 years , hmmmmmm ya waitin' for Santa to clue you in? ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: August 01 2008 at 00:29
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War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne Ziltoid The Omniscient by Devin Townsend Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull Octane by Spocks Beard Scenes from a Memory by Dream Theater The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis Tales from Topographic Oceans by Yes Tommy by The Who The Snow Goose by Camel
The Elder by Kiss (why not?)
Pawn Hearts by VDGG
Still Life by VDGG
and of course the penultimate epic We Can't Dance by Genesis...  ------------- 
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Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: August 01 2008 at 04:11
I don't know why really. I guess I bought a lot of Jethro Tull albums at once and then I somehow forgot to listen to that album. I Probably found it cheap and thought that I am going to want that album sooner or later so why not now. Then I had a lot of other albums to listen to at that time so this one remained under wraps, so to speak. I will do it today!
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Posted By: SouthSideoftheSky
Date Posted: August 01 2008 at 04:50
TFTO has a theme but not a story. If you think other wise please explain to us. I have never seen it as a story.
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: August 01 2008 at 05:36
yep  .... big difference between a concept album... and an album having a story line.------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: August 01 2008 at 08:07
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(Did I miss this essential one from the lists above;
Kevin Gilbert: The Shaming Of The True - promising rock star makes it, only to be totally disillusioned by the rock industry and the life - then drops out.
Who: Quadraphenia - a 60's mod grows up.
Pete Townshend: The Lifehouse - a musical shelter from an uncertain near future (more theatre with musical interludes).
Pretty Things: SF Sorrow - trials and tribulations of a Brit born into the late 19th century and surviving the early 20th century and ends up emigrating to the brave new world of the USA: ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: August 01 2008 at 23:20
I looked at the lyrics again and...
OK Fair enough
Tales fromTopographic does not actually have a story line, more a concept, I concede that fact.
The weird thing is that the album has such an impact on me I actually made up a storyline in my head, but its not actually there.
Another great story line for album is Remember the Future by Nektar -------------
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Posted By: Philip
Date Posted: August 07 2008 at 07:09
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The Wall, so far I remember the first album with a story line that I heard in my life. My "national", "10000 Anos Depois entre Vénus e Marte" by José Cid, a trip into outer space and the return, with wonderful music, and effective and simple lyrics. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: August 07 2008 at 20:17
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I love the Wall - one of the best by the masters of prog Pink Floyd - great movie too!
Also one I recently got hold of - weird but brilliant
Devin Townsend's
Ziltoid the Omniscient!
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Posted By: toasterbum
Date Posted: August 08 2008 at 01:35
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The Human Equation by Ayreon. It has a great story and is one of my favorite albums.
------------- www.hagforsmusic.blogspot.com "Without music, life would be a mistake." |
Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: August 08 2008 at 05:36
There is obviously some strange meaning of the word "story" that I wasn't previously aware of.
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