Epic vs. Concept Album
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2201
Printed Date: December 14 2024 at 05:09
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Topic: Epic vs. Concept Album
Posted By: Sweetnighter
Subject: Epic vs. Concept Album
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 10:46
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Close your eyes and do the following. For one minute, I want you to
imagine your ultimate dream prog band. It could have anybody in it that
you like, and they could play prog in whatever vein you most prefer.
Now, there's one catch- the band can only release one album. Would you
rather that album be a concept album with fantastic but shorter, 5-6
minute pieces, or an album with one spectacular epic track on it with
all the other tracks being very unmemorable and of poorer quality?
------------- I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die. "Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend |
Replies:
Posted By: frenchie
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 10:48
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i love epics and concept albums. but i write concept albums so i jus had to go for them. i think they have more depth. ------------- The Worthless Recluse 
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Posted By: gdub411
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 10:51
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There is so much you can do in an epic tune...so many realms to explore. What says this epic cannot be an entire album length? with that said I choose epic hands down. |
Posted By: Sweetnighter
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 10:56
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Well I suppose it could be an entire album length, something along the
lines of Thick as a Brick, but for the sake of the poll assume that its
a typical 20-min epic and that the rest of the album isn't as good, to
level the playing field between the epic and the concept album. I think I'm going to go with concept album. I love epics, I really do... but unified concept albums that tell stories through great music... I don't know, I just love 'em. Marillion's Misplaced Childhood and Gentle Giant's Three Friends are among my favorites. ------------- I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die. "Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend |
Posted By: Eddy
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 11:37
| i dont listen to what singers say, i only listen to the sound they make. for example, i hear jon andersons voice, but i dont pay attention to what he's actually saying. I pay attention to the sound it makers toghtther with the music. . therfor, i choose epic, because it gives you a emotion, a feeling, not a story, thats truee music, at lkeast for me |
Posted By: Vegetableman
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 12:34
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I said Epic. Ill always take Foxtrot over the Lamb, or Animals or WYWH over the Wall. ------------- "Mister Fripp, your music is quite different than everything else out there. In one word, how would you describe it?" "Progressive.... yeah, that's it..." |
Posted By: Joren
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 13:36
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I prefer epics, but you said that the other tracks are poor (Emerson Lake and Palmer like? MORE (Are you ready Eddy? |
), so I voted for concept album, with all great tracks!
)Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 13:44
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Personally, I’ve always preferred a unified concept
but spread over a number of tracks. Epics, to me, are fraught with danger. They can work spectacularly well – Supper's Ready, Echoes – but they can also be hanstrung by a need to hit a mark in length or design - Rush’s Fountains of Lamneth, etc. With an epic the temptation is to bolt on irrelevant or ill-fitting sections with the abrupt, and often misplaced, change of key/chord/pace and it has a detrimental effect on the whole. With a concept at least there is the freedom to step out of the confines of a relatively rigid framework and throw in something radically different to the piece that went before, whilst at the same time remaining true to the thematic elements of the whole. Pink Floyd’s The Wall is a good case in point. Mother bears little relation to Another Brick in the Wall Pt 2 yet the continuity is maintained via the linking sound effects. This is a particularly effective method of achieving continuity to me. And also adds atmosphere and drama to what otherwise might feel like wildly separate entities. Of course, with an epic there is the scope to musically explore a motif or series of themes across a long stretch of time ans this can be equally rewarding but personally I'll always plump for a concept album, Floyd being the masters to me. Yes did try to blend both on Topgraphic Oceans but with varying degrees of success depending on your view of that controversial record (see another loooooong thread elsewhere) In an ideal world, how about a concept album with short, punchy pieces, long rambling epics all stitched together by some judicious use of sound effects! cool. |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 14:20
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To be honest, I don't care, there are magnificent Conceptual albums without any epic, great albums with only one ore two epics and even plain prog' albums without concept or epics, the important thing is the music, the format doesn't bothers me very much. ........But I like conceptual albums with epics
Iván |
like:Posted By: Carlos
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 17:08
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BEING A PROG FAN SINCE 1998... I HAVE DISCOVERED SOME OF THE "FACES" THAT DISTINGUISH PROG FORM ANOTHER STYLES OF ROCK AND ROLL. SWEETNIGHTER WITH HIS POLL JUST PUT TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF PR AND THOSE ARE THE CONCEPT ALBUMS AND EPIC SONGS (LONG, AND I MEAN VERY LONG SONGS IF YOU LIKE). IMO I'D PREFER A FANTASTIC CONCEPT ALBUM...FIRST, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE WELL DONE THAN THE SECOND OPTION...I MEAN I RAVE FOR EPIC TRACKS, BUT I ALWAYS GIVE MY OPINION ON THE ALBUM, BUT NOT FOR ONE OR TWO SONGS FROM ONE OR ANOTHER RECORD... BUT IF THE ALBUM WITH THE EPIC TRACK HAS NO FILLERS WELL, THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT... BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE, I VOTE FOR THE CONCEPT RECORD ------------- Democracy=A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people... 
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Posted By: goose
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 18:12
| I'd say a concept album because it could be more epic in its scope than an epic..? |
Posted By: greenback
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 18:15
| I like excellent albums from begin to end: I chose concept albums, like Clutching at Straws! |
Posted By: penguindf12
Date Posted: November 20 2004 at 23:54
| The only difference between a concept album and an album-length epic is that the former has track divisions. The music doesn't even have to stop! So essentially, there isn't that much of a difference. A side-long epic IS a concept album, 'cause the epic is a concept, and the epic is also the album. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 01:06
Ok. I think I've got the concept.... ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 05:22
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Epic.
An album could have at least a couple of epics on them .Take Closer to the Edge and Selling England by the Pound as a couple of examples.3 epics on CTTE and the same for Selling England(Firth of Fifth,Cinema Show & Battle of Ep(ic)ping Forest.  )
------------- 
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: zappa123
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 05:59
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I love them both.So I would like to hear conceptual epic album.I think that conceptual album can be epic.wouldn't you agree?
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Posted By: zappa123
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 06:01
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I totally agree with you.I think the conceptual and epic is pretty much the same. |
penguindf12 wrote:Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 10:49
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Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 10:58
| I went for epic Because I prefer instrumentals like Hamburger Concerto and stuff like Solar music Live which I would consider to be an epic. Are we goig to get into a what is/ wwhat isn't an epic now that we've beaten the whatis/what isn't prog debate? |
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 11:56
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^ I don't think that would be wise. "Prog" is a manufactured term, so all the abuse that's done in the course of defining it is justified to some extent. On the other hand, "epic" and "concept" are actual terms that don't deserve that kind of clumsy misuse. oh, and I almost forgot... ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi"> 
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Posted By: Reed Lover
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 12:02
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zzzzzzz ------------- 
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Posted By: Hangedman
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 22:31
| Hard coice because a good concept album always comes on top for my favourite album, but a good epic always comes out on top for my favourite song. But Theres absolutely nothing like a good epic |
Posted By: The Prognaut
Date Posted: November 21 2004 at 23:07
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I voted concept
------------- break the circle reset my head wake the sleepwalker and i'll wake the dead |
Posted By: Sweetnighter
Date Posted: November 22 2004 at 00:23
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yeah I know the two sort of blend at times... but i'm thinking of a
more specific case, as in one 20-min piece versus an album of related 5
or 6 min pieces.
------------- I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die. "Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend |
Posted By: Cygnus
Date Posted: July 21 2005 at 04:26
| ANYTHING AS LONG AS THE MUSIC IS INSPIRED. I VOTE FOR CONCEPTS THOUGH BECOUSE I THINK CONCEPTS ARE USUALY YRICALY BETTER. |
Posted By: The Wizard
Date Posted: August 09 2005 at 19:15
| Concept albums, there awesome. |
Posted By: Fantômas
Date Posted: August 10 2005 at 19:11
Damnit, I was very happy thinking that this thread would be related with Faith No More... 
------------- And above all, is punk 
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Posted By: Henkka
Date Posted: August 10 2005 at 20:19
| Concept. |
Posted By: King of Loss
Date Posted: August 10 2005 at 20:57
Concept albums are awesome! 
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Posted By: el_Sethro
Date Posted: August 10 2005 at 20:57
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I think I'd like an epic. I'm kinda with Eddy here; the meanings
of songs has never really been that important to me most of the time. I
think I'd like one uber-ginormous track that I can get into - and stay
into - for a good 30 minutes or so. if I'm listening to a really,
really good song, I don't like interruptions. ------------- Who you gonna call? |
Posted By: Arsillus
Date Posted: August 11 2005 at 00:02
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Concept album. Only 1 good track with the rest being crappy songs (ELP-esque, whoops! More music!
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Posted By: undefinability
Date Posted: August 11 2005 at 03:59
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Conceptual, hands down. I have nothing against epics - in fact, it was a hard choice between the two - but in the end, conceptual releases are just too magnificently put together to turn my head away. ------------- "Don't listen to me." |
Posted By: Vegetable_Man
Date Posted: August 12 2005 at 10:51
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I love both Epics and Concept albums... it's a very hard
decision. Almost all of my favorite songs are epics, I
prefer Animals, SOYCD, and Echoes over all the songs on The Wall, for
example, but I also love concept albums., and I 'd prefer to have an
entire album of exceptional songs than just one amazing epic with a
bunch of mediocre songs. The album would have to be pushing 80 minutes, though. 
|
Posted By: cucacola54
Date Posted: August 12 2005 at 20:35
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i like both, but ill go with concept album ------------- Most listened albums last week 
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Posted By: Anonymous2112
Date Posted: August 13 2005 at 01:40
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I like Epic Concept Albums Darkside of the Moon is a concept album, all the songs are differnt parts of life. Animals is another, each animal represents a differnt kind of person. 2 from Pink Floyd. I sure there are more. ------------- And The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth |
Posted By: sstarless
Date Posted: August 13 2005 at 12:09
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Man thats not fair, full lenght album against 20 min song 60 > 20 Athough its hard to recall fantastic concept album without couple of over 10min songs. ------------- Io sono nato libero |
