Albums That Tell a Story

[Big Ears]

Boy, if that isn't the epitomy of a pretentious prog album title then I don't know what is.

It was also an illustrated book by Patrick Woodroffe. Phil Collins and John Lingwood played drums on the album. I enjoyed Pentateuch at the time, but have not heard it for a while (although I cannot think of much by Dave Greenslade that I do not like). The story is not as pretentious as it may seem and is based on the translation of ancient ideograms found in space. It is actually quite clever, as Woodroffe created the ideograms himself.

http://www.projectrho.com/public_htm...php#pentateuch

[interbellum]

Alice Cooper: Welcome To My Nightmare I and II
Alice Cooper: The Last Temptation

Wasn't "DaDa" also a story-album? Love that opening-track.

[SteveSly]

Wasn't "DaDa" also a story-album? Love that opening-track.
[]

It was supposed to be a concept album, but for me it never really works. The first few tracks kind of follow a story, but then it just seems to break down into a mish mash of separate songs. It is kind of too bad as the first 3rd of the album is really good and I think could have been fleshed out into a pretty cool whole, but in the end the concept never seems to come to fruition. I agree that the opening track, really the opening 3 tracks are all great. Never seen that video before.

Cooper was a mess when this album was recorded. He never toured it and basically went into seclusion (and rehab) for 3 years after it came out.

Cooper does have one other concept / story album in 2008 with “Along Came A Spider” which is about a serial killer (or is he?). The “Steven” character from the Nightmare albums shows up again on this one too. For me it is just an ok effort. There are some good songs on it, but overall I don’t think it is one of his best.

“Dragontown” could also be considered somewhat of a concept / story album too although it does not really follow any specific narrative.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I don't really see how DSOTM or Yellow Submarine tell a story.

DSOTM is the human condition... birth to death

[Dusty Chalk]

No it's not, it's different aspects of the human condition:

Speak to Me -- communication (in this case, by everything happening at once)
On the Run -- travel
Great Gig in the Sky -- religion
Us & Them -- fighting
Any Colour You Like -- sight
etc. (Time & Money being Time & Money, respectively)

I think "Breathe" is sort of the rug that ties the room together kind of thing.

But it's not in any kind of order or anything.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Saga's Chapters

Also, four of Parliament's albums, "Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome", "Motor Booty Affair", "Gloryhallastoopid", and "Trombipulation" are a four-album long concept saga - a fight between good and evil between two characters, Star Child (funky) and Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk (not funky.....there are many reasons to suspect that Sir Nose is also supposed to represent white folks)

that's a stretch... Sir Nose represents the R&B fans who turned their noses up at Funk because it was too crazy or guttural... both white and black folks

but good mention of those, my favorites being MBA and Glory. Trombipulation is where they jumped the shark and why it's their last album ever

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

PFM - Felona e Sorona

that would be by Le Orme... but a great one indeed

[jeffworman]

Small Faces - - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake (Happiness Stan)

[Shadow]

that would be by Le Orme... but a great one indeed

That's what I meant, and it only took two pages before someone actually read my post.

[Trane]

Boy, if that isn't the epitomy of a pretentious prog album title then I don't know what is.

if it was only the title... the artwork, the concept and the whole object breathes pretentiousness - and fails IMHO to deliver to the promise.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Regarding Yellow Sub, wasn't there an associated animated story about Peepperland being taken over by the Blue Meanies or something? I am only going by what I recall hearing at the time, and I don't have the album, so I bow to others' knowledge in this matter.

Yeah, well, sorta. There was a fun, Peter Max-ish animated movie called Yellow Submarine, but the Yellow Submarine album is not, exactly, a soundtrack for that album. Side two consists of George Martin's symphonic tracks for the album, but side one is Beatles songs some of which appear in the movie and some don't. At any rate, the album definitely does not (do an effective job of) tell(ing) the story of the movie.

[trurl]

Pretty sure all the songs do appear in the movie. Hey Bulldog was cut for the American release but has been restored on DVD and Bluray.

[BobM]

How about Todd Rundgren's Utopia - RA
(did anyone mention that one yet?)

[yamishogun]

Dude, wasn't that obvious?
)

[interbellum]

It was supposed to be a concept album, but for me it never really works. The first few tracks kind of follow a story, but then it just seems to break down into a mish mash of separate songs. It is kind of too bad as the first 3rd of the album is really good and I think could have been fleshed out into a pretty cool whole, but in the end the concept never seems to come to fruition. I agree that the opening track, really the opening 3 tracks are all great. Never seen that video before.

Cooper was a mess when this album was recorded. He never toured it and basically went into seclusion (and rehab) for 3 years after it came out.

Cooper does have one other concept / story album in 2008 with “Along Came A Spider” which is about a serial killer (or is he?). The “Steven” character from the Nightmare albums shows up again on this one too. For me it is just an ok effort. There are some good songs on it, but overall I don’t think it is one of his best.

“Dragontown” could also be considered somewhat of a concept / story album too although it does not really follow any specific narrative.

Thanks for this information. DaDa is in fact my only AC-album, but I like it, partly because of the Ezrin-production.

[SteveSly]

Thanks for this information. DaDa is in fact my only AC-album, but I like it, partly because of the Ezrin-production.

Agreed, Ezrin and Cooper make a pretty good team. They teamed up again for "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" a few years ago. It gets mixed reviews from fans, but I really like it.

[Shadow]

Rick Wakeman - Journey To The Center Of The Earth

Was six wives a story also.

If nobody mentioned these before now you guys really suck for a prog site.

[deandob]

I always had a special place for Sylvan's Posthumus Silence

+1 adds an emotional dimension to the music.

Also got to say DSTM lyrics especially Breathe & Time remind me to live life to the fullest.

[Garden Dreamer]

Klaatu - Hope.

[Trane]

Klaatu - Hope.

good callllllll.... Not in my top 10, but almost

[member]

In a way every album tells a story, the next chapter of the development of the band.

[progeezer's ghost]

DT- Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Marillion- Brave
Queensryche- Operation: Mindcrime
PF- The Wall
Genesis- Lamb
Shadow Gallery- Tyranny
Ayreon- The Human Equation
...and many more...

[interbellum]

Maybe it's hasn't got a narrative, but Anoice from Japan released an album with a story with "The Black Rain".

[grego]

I like these - The Who - Quadrophenia
Jethro Tull -Thick As A Brick, A Passion Play
Too Old To Rock n' Roll, Too Young To Die
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Genesis TLLDOB
Gentle Giant Three Friends
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