Conceptalbums come, mostly, in 2 guises: albums centred around a theme or albums with a central storyline. Clutching is all about the effects succes had on Fish's and other people's lives as he perceived it. Subterranea is one with a central storyline (hence it being turned into a movie right about now).
Subterranea by a wide margin.
And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell
My vote goes to Subterranea for sure, although it took me a while to "get it" whereas other IQ I liked right away. I have no idea why I didn't like it right away now...
I don't think about a label like "neo-prog" when I think of Subterranea though, to me it's more comparable to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. They are VERY different albums of course, but I think it's the whole storyline thing that makes them similar. That and some of the instrumental bits that move the story along even without words.
Brave is an album I need to hear again. I love Clutching at Straws and Misplaced Childhood, so I really should give Brave a chance.
Brave for me. I understand those who find it difficult, but it's one of those albums that just clicks with you one day and you never look back. Seeing it live this past spring with the visuals was incredible.
Loosely on the subject: Neo-prog is definitely the subgenre I am most able to identify based solely on an album cover. Ancient ruins/statues, chess pieces/chessboard/checkerboard, tiled floors in marble rooms, costume balls, comedy/tragedy masks... often done in a rather busy, colourful collage-style painting. I don't need to have heard of the band to guess they're neo-prog based on one or more of those criteria.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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Misplaced Childhood, and i'd take Subterannea over Brave.
"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
Sad Rain
Anekdoten
I feel like I'm forgetting an obvious one but I'll go with:
1. Brave
2. Clutching at Straws/Misplaced Childhood (tie)
3. Subterranea
'The smell of strange colours are heard everywhere'- Threshold
Just to open the door a little wider,Pallas-The Sentinel.
been collecting (2hand mostly) vinyl again, some classics I had to get on new vinyl; Brave and Subterrenea being the first two I bought. So there's my vote! ;-)
I know it is not neo, but some consider Sgt Pepper to be concept album, even though it does not have a concept. On this basis, a neo album with strong songs, an emphasis on studio techniques and one track segueing into another could be considered a concept album.
Member since Wednesday 09.09.09
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It is a great album but only 3/4 of it adheres to being part of the concept. Shock Treatment, Cut And Run and Arrive Alive were never part of the planned Atlantis / Sentinel concept. In fact, that one never got fully recorded properly and only exists in a composite form using demos and live recordings.
Pepper's Ghost - Arena
Misplaced Childhood
My new fave came out in the past couple of months:
PBII-1000 Wishes
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
Sure it does, the "concept" is that The Beatles are Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (as depicted on the iconic cover) and that they are going to play a show for you. They introduce their singer, Billy Shears, and play the concert (using various styles) and it ends with the Reprise ("We'd like to thank you once again...").I know it is not neo, but some consider Sgt Pepper to be concept album, even though it does not have a concept.
Where the awesome A Day In The Life fits in to that, no idea!
As for the topic, easy: Afraid of Sunlight by Marillion. Out Of This World is one of my very favorite Marillion songs and yes, I love Cannibal Surf Babe, I was so happy they played it at the House of Blues in West Hollywood last year.
I was born in nineteen sixty weird.........
...or you could love
Aragon - Mouse
Actually I don't know that many neo-prog concept albums
Would Neuschwanstein - Alice in Wunderland count?
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