music albums

[almusic10]

can anyone tell me what it means when people call an album an concept album

[Mabelcat]

A 'concept' album is usually an album with a theme running through all the songs. Like, War Of The Worlds by Jeff Lynne or YES albums...it's closely linked to prog-rock and seems to be making something of a comeback in reaction to the skinny-tie garage rock revival from 2001-2004...

Or something...

[halfadaily]

one of my all time favourite records "Days of future passed" by the Moody Blues is a good example of a concept album

[robbo82]

The original 'concept' album is supposedly Sgt Pepper's Lonely Herts Club Band. However, this is a bit of a misnomer as only three of the songs are actually linked to one another. The Beatles starting doing it as a concept album then shelved the idea.

[Booldawg]

Like Rush - 2112, or Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime

[spat]

hate to be a pedant but Jeff Wayne did War of the Worlds
Jeff Lynne was in ELO

[Mabelcat]

ah yes, thanks for correcting me...I'd have done the same. Glaring error on my part!! Cheers Spat

Oh and fender62 - I really don't welcome the return of the concept album...I'm a snappy 180 second old punk fan...prog is musical masturbation (he says, already ducking the sharp replies!)

[Backdrifter]

Prog CAN be musical masturbation, but it's a popular misconception to assume it generally is. Similarly, musical masturbation can sometimes be prog. I'm partial to a 180-second blast of punk myself but let's be clear - that in its own way could also be musical masturbation, just with a quicker climax!

It's silly how prog has come to be this demonsied music form that people are terrified of liking because the NME deemed it uncool in 1977. One of the greatest music myths ever: "Punk killed prog".

By the way, fender: ANY Yes album? Correct me if I'm wrong but the only one they did was the ludicrous Tales From Topographic Oceans, wasn't it? Jeff Wayne, jeeeez... when I was at school there was WOTW fever. There I was with my Magazine, Gang Of Four and XTC albums, while all my mates banged on about War Of The s*dding Worlds!

[WaldoMcFroog]

For every 'prog is musical masturbation' comment, I'd counter 'punk is musical incompetance' but that wouldn't be true either.

I've played in punk bands but love loads of prog. Probably 90% of all prog is diabolical, but equally, so it 90% of punk and indeed 90% of any genre you care to name.