I’ve always been partial to 2112 by Rush. Moving Pictures also seemed to be a concept album to me.
I’m partial to Ogdens Nut Gone Flake by the Small Faces, although it’s a concept side rather than an a concept album. It tells the story of Happiness Stan, who goes looking for the other half of the moon, aided by an enormous fly. This is 60’s psychedlia at its finest!
No mention of Husker Du’s Zen Arcade? In my opinion, it’s probably the best concept album ever. It sticks to its story (unlike, say, Sgt. Pepper’s), it’s well-thought out, and not only are the songs great, but they work equally well as part of the concept and as individual songs. It’s even more amazing given the circumstances–alternating songs by two different writers, making it a double album, and being recorded what was viewed by many as a “hardcore punk” band (although far more melodic and intelligent).
I’d second Genesis’s The Lamb Lies down on Broadway. Fabulous album.
Operation: Mindcrime is… so… awesome. Video Mindcrime was a let-down.
Tommy is also awesome. Tommy the movie is… interesting.
I guess, as with many good books, what you see in your head is better than what others throw up on the screen.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and On Avery Island, both by Neutral Milk Hotel. Two of the best albums ever, not just concept albums. Also, Ziggy Stardust deserves a mention.
The original rock opera The Pretty Things S. F. Sorrow from 1968. Sadly my vinyl version is gone but I must find a CD. A nice review of the album in Stylus for those who haven’t heard of it.
The Rutles’ eponymous album, the “soundtrack” for the excellent All You Need Is Cash.
And I’ll second the Kinks albums that were mentioned. I don’t think Ray Davies will ever get his due as a songwriter.
The original ** Evita ** with Julie Covington. It has never been surpassed and remains my favorite recording of an ALW show.
Also the brown cover ** Jesus Christ Superstar **. What that recording started.
As soon as i saw the thread title i thought i’d rush in to expand upon the genius which is Operation: Mindcrime expecting blank looks and crys of Operation what?. I’m glad to see it’s actually so well known, bloody good album.
Daoloth, you are da man. “Zip City, it’s a good thing that they built a wall around you…”
I also have to chime in with The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner by Ben Folds Five.
Presicely. You know, wouldn’t it be to fascinating for someone to create a concept album based upon A Confederacy of Dunces?
[“Dispepsi” – variously spelled in anagrams for legal reasons in the packaging, however] by Negativland.
Fantastic concept and packaging, marred by mediocre original song/parodies. The whole thing is a cultural deconstuction of the products and marketing campaigns of Coca-Cola and Pepsi (although the cover art is a scrambling of Pepsi), using advertising pastiches, corporate info, and original songs/parodies. The back cover art is a redoing of the nutritional content chart & info; the CD itself is printed like a giant can top; and the first sound on the album is the “ssppllittttzzzzzzz” sound of opening up a can. This wins my vote for “Best Concept Album – Packaging”.
Too bad the music basically sucks CO2 vapor. “Ssppllitttzzzz,” indeed.
And some honorable mentions: concept bands:
The Dukes of Stratosphear (actually, XTC recording as a long-lost '60’s psychedelic band, with appropriate disguises, costumes, and nommes de plume) – one album and one EP, since collected on one CD, Chips from the Chocolate Fireball – An Anthology. Terrific pastiches of that era, and it’s fun to spot the influences.
The Squirrel Nut Zippers – the 90’s band that sounded like a '20’s hot jazz combo.
Combustible Edison – Another '90’s band that sounds like something from another time. I’ve only heard one of their albums, but it sounded like an homage to '50’s and '60’s “Lounge/Exotica,” with maybe a dash of “Space Age”. Perhaps someone more familiar with them can elaborate?
I’m just hoping someone will explain exactly what George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic and Sun Ra were all about… surely these were also concept bands, which may have put out concept albums? Something about a Mothership, and an ancient-Egypt theme [respectively]…?
Yes-Fragile
Rush-2112
Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd’s The Wall owns all others. And so far it is the only one mentioned here that has had a good movie come out of it.
If any Floyd album is worthy of best concept album The Final Cut is head and shoulders above the Wall and DSotM
I thought about mentioning The Final Cut, and it’s very good, but it is the album that broke up Pink Floyd. It represented a complete takeover of the band by Roger Waters, which created resentment and helped along the band’s dissolution.
But then, you could say the exact same things about Peter Gabriel’s role in breaking up Genesis with The Lamb, which is on my list, so perhaps I should drop my prejudice against Final Cut.
Final Cut is very solid musically, and the energy of the songs rises and falls quite nicely throughout. Floyd can change moods in the middle of a song like almost nobody else except the Pixies. Ending the album with a song like “Two Suns in the Sunset” does sort of date the album, but the imagery presented by the lyrics was quite vivid. The sound of the waves washing in and out repeatedly at the end reminds me a little of the ending of the novel A Canticle for Liebowitz, sort of a death-as-cycle-of-renewal rather than death-as-the-end.
No one has mentioned the artist who invented the concept album yet???
I give you Frank Sinatra, who didn’t make just one or two concept albums, but made no less then 16 concept albums.
September Of My Years
Sinatra-Basie
Sinatra’s Swingin’ Sessions And More!!!
I Remember Tommy
Come Swing With Me
Nice N’ Easy
No One Cares
Only The Lonely
Come Dance With Me!
A Swingin’ Affair!
Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems Of Color
Where Are You
Come Fly With Me
Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!
Swing Easy
In The Wee Small Hours
If you haven’t heard The Shaming Of The True by the late Kevin Gilbert(and I’m guessing that most of you haven’t) then you have not experienced one of the most truly outstanding concept albums EVER.
If you can buy or download a copy, get ready for greatness.
Chris W