Of Concept Albums

[karlhenning]

Carrying this away from a thread where it was O/T . . . Scarps raises an interesting distinction:

No, there's no real "concept" to Sgt Pepper, aside from the title track which sets up an "alter band ego," and its brisk reprise at the near-end of the album, serving as bookmarks.

Well, there is no thematic link with regard to lyrics or themes of the songs, but they were sequenced and connected together to make the album play as something more than individual, unrelated tracks.   But we are getting a bit off topic.

On the whole, I should agree that Sgt Pepper is "something more than individual, unrelated tracks." But . . . is that "enough" to "make" a concept album? (The same is true, and more so, I think, of The Beatles.)

Generally, there is some fuzzy thinking in "the rock press" (isn't there just?) but especially viz. "concept album" . . . it's somehow taken as read that Aqualung is one, but . . . it isn't, and Ian Anderson says it never was . . . .

[Scarpia]

For years I thought Chicago II was a concept album.  It was all happy, then there was 25 or 6 to 4, and then the songs were all gloomy and philosophical.  I figured 25 or 6 to 4 was somehow about death.  Then I found out it 25 or 6 to 4 refers o trying to write a song at 3:35 or 3:34 am.   

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Carrying this away from a thread where it was O/T . . . Scarps raises an interesting distinction:

Well, there is no thematic link with regard to lyrics or themes of the songs, but they were sequenced and connected together to make the album play as something more than individual, unrelated tracks.   But we are getting a bit off topic.


On the whole, I should agree that Sgt Pepper is "something more than individual, unrelated tracks." But . . . is that "enough" to "make" a concept album? (The same is true, and more so, I think, of The Beatles.)

Generally, there is some fuzzy thinking in "the rock press" (isn't there just?) but especially viz. "concept album" . . . it's somehow taken as read that Aqualung is one, but . . . it isn't, and Ian Anderson says it never was . . . .

Sgt. Pepper's: non-concept in my book.

Other than the album opening and closing with opposing Sgt. Pepper "themes" (and their related "lead ins") there isn't anything that shares a commonality. 

[KevinP]

Sgt. Pepper's was not a concept album, but it close enough that whoever came up with the first (next) one didn't have all that far to jump.

This is defining 'concept album' in the rock sense in which a story unfolds (and which, for me, Pink Floyd's The Wall is the most representative). In other genres, the pairing of two stars is considered a concept album, or Kind of Blue can be considered one.

[jowcol]

Sgt. Pepper's was not a concept album, but it close enough that whoever came up with the first (next) one didn't have all that far to jump.

This is defining 'concept album' in the rock sense in which a story unfolds (and which, for me, Pink Floyd's The Wall is the most representative). In other genres, the pairing of two stars is considered a concept album, or Kind of Blue can be considered one.

I pretty much agree with this take on Sgt. Peppers.

Axis Bold as Love, if I recall, had the songs segueing together- just to address Scarpia's original idea.   And of course, Dark Side of the Moon had that heartbeat running through it.

I must admit that, in practice, I often don't listen to concept albums in there entirety after the first couple of spins, and just keep the tracks I want in rotation.  That being said, I thought Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet was a very solid concept album.  (This band, to me, carries the banner once carried by Floyd and King Crimson, although I thought the next album they did "The Incident" took the concept album concept too far. 

[Szykneij]

Carrying this away from a thread where it was O/T . . . Scarps raises an interesting distinction:

Well, there is no thematic link with regard to lyrics or themes of the songs, but they were sequenced and connected together to make the album play as something more than individual, unrelated tracks.   But we are getting a bit off topic.


On the whole, I should agree that Sgt Pepper is "something more than individual, unrelated tracks." But . . . is that "enough" to "make" a concept album? (The same is true, and more so, I think, of The Beatles.)

Generally, there is some fuzzy thinking in "the rock press" (isn't there just?) but especially viz. "concept album" . . . it's somehow taken as read that Aqualung is one, but . . . it isn't, and Ian Anderson says it never was . . . .

The original intent, at least as envisioned by McCartney, was for "Sgt. Pepper's" to be a total concept album. During the course of development, it strayed from its conceptual path, likely due to musical concerns overriding thematic ones.

[The new erato]

The original intent, at least as envisioned by McCartney, was for "Sgt. Pepper's" to be a total concept album. During the course of development, it strayed from its conceptual path, likely due to musical concerns overriding thematic ones.

I think that's true. S.F. Sorrow by The Pretty Things seems to be the first real concept album.

[Bogey]

Sgt. Peppers a concept album?  Only if you are a Beatles conspiracist.   



Concept albums I have owned, that seemed to work:

Quadrophenia by The Who.  Except for The Wall, this one seems to bring home the idea of "concept" the most clearly for me.

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.  However, this Elton album is still difficult to pick it up unless you are in the know.

The Wall, as Kevin mentioned.

[Shrunk]

I've seen the early Frank Sinatra LP's like Only the Lonely referred to as the first concept albums.  The reason being that, until that point, LP's were simply collections of singles that had already been released.  Sinatra's records were among the first to be conceived as a full program to be recorded and listened to as a whole.

BTW, has anyone noticed the concept album making something of a comeback in this post-punk era?  One of my favourite CD's from last year was The Monitor by Titus Andronicus which has some sort of running thread about the American Civil War, complete with readings from the likes of Abe Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.

[karlhenning]

Well, and Ian Anderson, puzzled at the collective embrace of Aqualung as a concept album, thought, All right, we'll give you a concept album . . . and Thick As a Brick was born.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway . . . although the "concept" of the sequence of songs, and the "story" which ran inside the gatefold, and any connection between them, are, each in its own way . . . a bit dodgy.

[Bogey]

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway . . . although the "concept" of the sequence of songs, and the "story" which ran inside the gatefold, and any connection between them, are, each in its own way . . . a bit dodgy.[/font]

But very cool.

[Bogey]

How about jazz concept albums (beyond the Sinatra one mentioned)?  Has to be a few out there.

[karlhenning]

But very cool.

Oh, aye.

[Shrunk]

How about jazz concept albums (beyond the Sinatra one mentioned)?  Has to be a few out there.

Off the top of my head:

A Love Supreme  John Coltrane

Tijuana Moods and The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady  Charles Mingus

[Szykneij]

Some interesting Sgt. Peppers background here --

http://www.thebeatles.org/album/sgt-pepper

The intermediate tracks do not follow so explicitly the concept of a show by alter-egos; yet they fit the concept musically in terms of their variety and creativity. Lennon later denied having written any of his compositions with Paul's "Sgt. Pepper" format in mind. The concept and the name were McCartney ideas, based on the curious band names that had begun to appear in the mid-1960's.

[Bogey]

Off the top of my head:

A Love Supreme  John Coltrane

Slaps head!  Good one!

[karlhenning]

Some interesting Sgt. Peppers background here --

http://www.thebeatles.org/album/sgt-pepper

The intermediate tracks do not follow so explicitly the concept of a show by alter-egos; yet they fit the concept musically in terms of their variety and creativity. Lennon later denied having written any of his compositions with Paul's "Sgt. Pepper" format in mind. The concept and the name were McCartney ideas, based on the curious band names that had begun to appear in the mid-1960's.

I don't have the book to hand, but that is essentially the impression I carry from The Act You've Known for All These Years . . . the general idea of the funny band name.

And, I mean, if something as generally musically applicable as "variety and creativity" is suggested as the foundation of its "concept" . . . .

[jowcol]

Off the top of my head:

A Love Supreme  John Coltrane

Tijuana Moods and The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady  Charles Mingus

For Ellington you can kick in Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (great album). and possibly the Far East Suite.

[Scarpia]

1958
[asin]B0017YZIKK[/asin]

My 7th grade choir teacher was Sonny Rollins' sister-in-law.