Concept Albums

Nude by Camel is great!!!

BaldJean wrote: just a few off the top of my head: Amon Düül 2 - "Made In Germany" (a rather satiric look at the history of Germany in the 20th century, including a fake interview with Adolf Hitler - using excerpts from speeches by him -, who is being introduced as the drummer of a rockband) Grobschnitt - "Rockpommels Land" (I don't like this album very much, but it is a concept album, and maybe you will like it. I'm just not too much into symphonic prog) Gong - the trilogy of albums "Flying Teapot", "Angel's Egg" and "You" follow a concept, telling the tale of Zero the Hero and his visit to planet Gong Mother Gong - "Robot Woman", parts 1-3 (another concept trilogy) Mother Gong - "Fairy Tales" is also a concept album in a way, since three fairy tales are being told on it, accompanied by music The Residents - "Eskimo" (allegedly a concept album based on the lives and music of the Eskimos, but you will find out after a while that it is all a hoax (definitely when they sing "Coca Cola is life" in the last track ) The Residents - "The Mole Trilogy" (another trilogy of albums) Aphrodite's Child - "666" (based on the apocalypse in the bible) Triumvirat - "Spartacus" (in the opinion of many, including me, an ELP clone) Klaus Schulze - "X" (this could be called a concept album, because Schulze tries musical biographies of several persons here) Klaus Schulze - "Mirage" (Schulze himself calls this "an electronic winter landscape", and I think the music on this album captures this perfectly. but only for friends of meditative electronic music) Jack Lancaster - "Marsscape" (sax-player Jack Lancaster backed up by the original Brand X, creating an instrumental portrait of the planet Mars)

Jack Lancaster, from Bloodwyn Pig? This is a surprise to me... Never thought that he could release an entire concept album!!

M. B. Zapelini wrote: BaldJean wrote: just a few off the top of my head: Jack Lancaster - "Marsscape" (sax-player Jack Lancaster backed up by the original Brand X, creating an instrumental portrait of the planet Mars) Jack Lancaster, from Bloodwyn Pig? This is a surprise to me... Never thought that he could release an entire concept album!!

yes, one and the same. since there are no lyrics on this album it is not much of a concept, though there are explanations to the song titles which make them fit together. and on some tracks, like "Hopper", you can definitely hear what the music is referring to, you get a mental picture.

would be a good addition to the database, by the way. here the cover, the line-up and the track list:

Jack Lancaster - Lyricons, Saxophones, Flutes, Violin, Watergong, Pan pipes
Robin Lumley - Pianos, Harmonium, Synthesizers, Autoharp, Hammond Organ
John Goodsall - Guitars
Percy Jones - Bass
Phil Collins - Drums, Percussion
Morris Pert - Percussion
Bernie Frost - Voices
Simon Jeffes - Koto
Geoff Leach - ARP Synthesizer Programming

Tracks:

1. Take Off 3:08
2. Sail on Solar Winds 2:48
3. Arrival 1:53
4. Phobos and Deimos  4:49
5. With a Great Feeling of Love 2:46
6. Olympus Mons 2:14
7. Homelight 5:22
8. Hopper 3:26
9. Dust Storm 4:21
10. Blowholes (The Pipes of Mars) 3:28
11. Realisation 3:06
12. Release 6:13

on the cover I copied into here the album is credited to Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley, but on the cover of the version we have at home it is credited to Lancaster alone.

certainly an obscurity, just like the "Peter and the Wolf" album (which also has all of Brand X + several other musicans playing on it)

Edited by BaldJean

What concept albums are very good but metal?

Also whats best Yes, ELP, and Genesis to start with

And best Pain of Salvation to start with (which are concepts?)

Edited by dreamtheater91

in my opinion the combination of "metal" and "concept album" does not work, unless you would either alllow the band to include a few non-metal songs or the concept of the album would have to be about violence and destruction all the time. or another idea, the concept could be "contest of metal bands", and then a few metal bands with different styles that take part in that contest would have to be invented (of course all would have to be portrayed and incorporated by the same band). but playing full power all the time (whch is my understanding of "prog metal"; anything else I would not give that name) just reduces the range of emotions and situations to be described (which is why I am not a great fan of prog metal).
I am quite sure there will be a lot or responses now that will prove to me there are prog metal concept albums, but how many of them are metal through and through? I am pretty sure that on such a concept album at least one ballad would appear

I see no one has posted it and i can't believe it...

AYREON - The human equation

wow, that's concept, that's progression surely one of my favs.

BaldJean wrote: in my opinion the combination of "metal" and "concept album" does not work, unless you would either alllow the band to include a few non-metal songs or the concept of the album would have to be about violence and destruction all the time. or another idea, the concept could be "contest of metal bands", and then a few metal bands with different styles that take part in that contest would have to be invented (of course all would have to be portrayed and incorporated by the same band). but playing full power all the time (whch is my understanding of "prog metal"; anything else I would not give that name) just reduces the range of emotions and situations to be described (which is why I am not a great fan of prog metal). I am quite sure there will be a lot or responses now that will prove to me there are prog metal concept albums, but how many of them are metal through and through? I am pretty sure that on such a concept album at least one ballad would appear

How about Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son?  It has quiet moments, but there's nothing there that could really be classified as a ballad.

dreamtheater91 wrote: What concept albums are very good but metal? Also whats best Yes, ELP, and Genesis to start with And best Pain of Salvation to start with (which are concepts?)

If you are lookign for metal concept albums try:

Savatage - Streets
Savatage - Dead Winter Dead
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Iron Maiden  - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (sort of a concept album....)

and of course Dream Theater, but looking at your name i guess you already know about them!
 

nope, but I like the stories of Dunsany, in which the little folk (as a truly superstitious Irishwoman who puts a bowl of red wine in front of the door for the little folk each evening I dare not call them anything else. by the way, the bowl is empty each morning, which is proof they do exist ) get a sinister touch and are not the rather amusing little creatures with wngs

Edited by BaldJean

dreamtheater91 wrote: Also whats best Yes, ELP, and Genesis to start with

If you are completely new to these three groups -- and trying to take into account your enjoyment of DT -- I would recommend the following:

YES - "Close To The Edge" (or "Fragile" if you want something a little more accessible.)

ELP - s/t first album (As you're a DT fan, you may enjoy the heavier parts of this album - the first track starts with a real punch.)

GENESIS - "Foxtrot" (I think you'll enjoy Watcher Of The Skies, for starters, plus this album should be known and understood by all Prog Rock fans.)

Good luck! Let us know what you think of them.