Decorating day, looking for something different to listen to, so fancied some good concept album, preferably with a story that you can follow (any narration welcome). Enjoyed Rick Wakeman’s Journey to Centre of Earth so now onto Myths & Legends of King Arthur (not so great…) But what should I try next?
Looking for a concept
by 39 Comments
A touch of the Tubular perhaps. Try number 3 first.
Never got around to TB3 – giving it a go!
Try this. Ancient Celtic Legend Prog. Superb.
Sounds interesting – cued up next!
Oi, and it’s earlier cousin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6LciaCoDEY
Incidentally, Myths & Legends is to be rerecorded (hopefully) as a double album, as was originally intended
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/rickwakeman
Didn’t think the recent(ish) expanded studio recording of Journey was anywhere near as good as the original 70’s live album, by the way.
Neither do I.
A 4 cd/dvd box is coming soon – the original live album remastered (with extra track) , a 1974 live performance from Boston, a 1993 Buenos Aires show, and also a quad surround mix.
Seconding Robbo’s ‘Lips suggestion. Have you tried Tull’s Thick As A Brick, H-meister?
Beat you to that one CH! Already on my playlist!
This legendary psych classic is a concept album ( but I don’t know what the concept actually is ) – anways, it’s a corker:
As is this…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjF7ekLh3ZU
and THIS beauty !
5*’s Rob! Just what I was after!!
Very glad to be of service Mr H (Head).
Something more contemporary ?
Decemberists Hazards of Love
Anais Mitchell Hadestown
Drive by Truckers Southern Rock Opera
or this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=426jqFZa99Y
Are you familiar with Roger Water’s The Pros & Cons of Hitchhiking, Mr H? A splendid little ditty of a concept (Rog being the concept king, natch) about a bloke having a sexy dream wherein he picks up a sexy young hitchhiker, but it’s also a bit of a nightmare with armed Arabs at the foot of his bed and Jack Palance and Yoko Ono and Germans and a dog and all sorts of goings on. Here’s an explanation of the “story”:
http://www.dprp.net/proghistory/index.php?i=1984_01
Superb album with many musical cross references to The Wall, the two pieces having been composed around the same time.
It’s the Floyd/Floyd-related album I play most. Something very cinematic about it. And despite usually not liking Clapton, I love his guitar on this.
The Lethal Weapon soundtrack also features Clapton, Kamen and Sanborn and in parts has a similar musical feel to pros and Cons:
How about Babbacombe Lee, Fairport Convention’s album about the original ‘Man They Couldn’t Hang’.
War of the Worlds. Not the new one but the original 1978 one with Richard Burton as The Narrator
“No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space. No one could have dreamed that we were being scrutinized, as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few men even considered the possibility of life on other planets and yet, across the gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded this Earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us….”
[Cue: Beethoven 5th rip-off]
Doh! Can’t believe I forgot this one! And of course it has to be the original!!
For my money, quite possibly the most gorgeous “concept” album ever made by a rock band:
https://youtu.be/wU5i91tEgq0
…and this one runs it a close second:
Marillion – Misplaced Childhood
80s Prog when Prog was about as fashionable as … Prog
and likewise this – Clutching At Straws
How about something a little exotic?
Alan Stivell – A Celtic Symphony
And though it may lack the muted melodic elegance of the Camel or Bo Hansson albums, this is my choice as the grand-daddy of concept pieces:
Get hip to this, daddio!
Beany not up yet?
Try this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA3DKTY4Lx0 as an example from Stackridge’ Mr Mick.
Zzzzzzzz. I heard that. Pardon?
In that case you need to go for The Original Mr. Mick, issued on Dap records, in the format the band wanted before Elton had his way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Mick
ELO’s Eldorado
and…
Jethro Tull’s Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young to Die!
Strawbs’ Grave New World
Still going with the decorating! Some good suggestions here, tried most (loved Robert Calvert – thanks Rob C). Bit different, but enjoyed Nilsson’s The Point too today
If you are still up to your armpits in paste ‘n’ paint then try this mini-concept track, featuring the mighty Runt.
https://youtu.be/9v3dp6CkIZk
Are you painting the Forth Bridge, Mr H? You might as well.
When you move on to the next room may I suggest Rev Hammer’s Freeborn John? It’s an attempt at a musical biography of John Lilburne, the leader of the Civil War-era protesters The Levellers. It features a galaxy of stars, including Maddy Prior, Eddi Reader, assorted New Model Army members, and Levellers (playing – yes! – The Levellers). Somehow it failed to set the charts alight, but I really like it. The whole things on YouTube.