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Robot Emperor

423 posts

Edited Jun 19, 2012, 11:19

Concept Albums.

Jun 19, 2012, 11:10

Right. I've checked and this hasn't been done here before. Anybody got any favourites? I was going to say they were a thing of the past or a niche market but, after a moments reflection, ohhh no their not (Arcade Fire and Gorillaz spring to mind).

The most ridiculous? Mine? Eloy and Oceans. Still glorious mind. Atlantis is always a strong player here.

Always assumed that all the Yes albums were concept albums but was always afraid of Jon Andersons explanations. He loses me usually after 0.5 seconds. Are they?

Concept albums account for nearly all the Kinks output, all of Magma and Kraftwerk obviously, more Marvin Gaye and Donna Summer than you would think. Lets turn the spotlight of truth on this dirty secret.

Does the concept ever add to the experience? Or is it just that we are grateful for whatever got the artist to produce the song or album?

My faves (for a variety of reasons) -

Aphrodites Child - 666
Baader Meinhof - Baader Meinhoff (Luke Haines really, as you all knew anyway)
Blur - 13 (sorry)
David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Alice Cooper - Alice Cooper Goes to Hell
Eels - Hombre Lobo
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Peter Hammill - Nadir's Big Chance
Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade
Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick
Jethro Tull – A Passion Play
Jethro Tull – War Child
The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
Magma - Magma (a.k.a. Kobaia)
Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh
Magma - Wurdah Ïtah
Magma - Köhntarkösz
Magma - K.A. (Kohntarkosz Anteria)
Magma - Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê

Actually this could go for ever. I just like whatever happens to an artists brains with a juicy concept to explore, never really bothered with what they are trying to convey though.

And Aqualung always sounded like a concept album to me. Mentions God a lot otherwise. Any others that claim not to be but you strongly suspect are. Conversely, any that claim to be but are a pretty weak concept if they are.

Topic Outline:

Concept Albums. – Robot Emperor, Jun 19, 2012, 11:10


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