Concept Albums ?

My favorite (not necessarily 'best') concept albums.

1. Operation Mindcrime - Queensryche
2. Last Temptation - Alice Cooper
3. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
4. Antichrist Superstar - Marilyn Manson
5. Crimson Idol - WASP

Honorable Mention in no particular order

Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Welcome to my Nightmare - Alice Cooper
2112 - Rush
The Wall - Pink Floyd
Them - King Diamond
Final Cut - Pink Floyd
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth - Coheed and Cambria
Sgt. Peppers - Beatles
Mechanical Animals - Marilyn Manson

 

Jerry,

I know this isn't what you're looking for but I just heard Pink Floyd Marooned for the first time today, and it got me thinking.............Man, there is a lot of good music out there that I'm sure I've never heard.

 

Absolutely.

For example, I only 'discovered' old Gabriel Genesis a few years ago and now its one of my favs.

I generally find newer music doesnt get into my soul like the older stuff but then every so often i find something like Coheed and Cambria and fall in love.

So no favorite concept albums ?

 

Truthfully, I'm not too up on 'Concept' albums and they are probably not my favs. but since you bring up Genesis, they are probably in my top three.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

This is how close I saw them the last year
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tommy

 

For me, concept albums are tricky to define - should it be based on a premise/storyline like The Who's - Tommy?
Or, should it examine every facet of a diamond, based on a recurring theme, not just a style?
While Sgt. Pepper is often called a concept album, technically, it isn't, and Lennon/McCartney didn't think so, either... and only the masterful 1st 1/2 of 2112 tells a tale.
However, Go [stunning, yet near impossible to find] and Red Headed Stranger [only C&W album I can be arsed to listen to] express a continual narrative throughout.

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue [Instrumental]

Go - Go [Go was comprised of Steve Winwood, Stomu Yamashta, Al DiMeola, Klaus Schulze, Michael Shrieve]

The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John Mclaughlin - The Inner Mounting Flame [Instrumental]

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Uprising

MC5 - Kick Out the Jams

Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger

Pink Floyd - Animals | Dark Side of the Moon | The Wall

Rush - 2112

Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

 

Dark Side Of The Moon would definitely be my favorite!

 

Mike Watt's 'Contemplating the Engine Room' is mine.

 

I'm sure Paradise Theater won't appear on too many lists

Sad how the album concept itself has diminished. Album flow used to be a big part of the music itself.

 

Was a big Styx fan...I got drum lessons from one of John Panozzo's old drum teachers when I was a teenager. That was an awesome album. I still have the original album where there was a graphic printed in the wax.

Pink Floyd "Animals" would qualify. I also think Rush "Hemispheres" would as well.

RMX

 

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs?

 

I had that one too--really cutting edge for that era. I grew up in the town where JY lives, and at my old job we used to make furniture deliveries to his house every now and then. Real nice guy--let the store owner use his place in Hawaii.

 

Funny, my six degrees of separation happened again around 10 years ago when I was offered Dennis DeYoung's Roland Jupiter 8 synthesizer for what would be considered a steal today. I passed on it.

RMX

 

Beach Boys "Pet Sounds". Inspired the Beatles to do Sgt. Pepper