Appreciating concept albums feels like something you age into, like bluegrass or vintage baseball card collecting. Not that the idea was lost on me in my youth, but that I didn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about the structure of an album while listening to it. Another orbit around the sun is rapidly approaching and it feels like as good a time as any to share of my favorite albums to listen to front to back. The criteria are simple: bangers throughout that flow seamlessly from beginning to end. In no particular order, here are a few of the best ones that came to mind:
Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor in his prime was something unique to behold. If Pretty Hate Machine is more your cup of tea, that’s also perfectly acceptable, but Downward Spiral is an impending tsunami of passion and anger that needs to be heard all the way through at least once. Drugs are a hell of a drug, but they do make fantastic music.
Brown Album – Primus
Imagine yourself in a haze, wandering through a turn-of-the-century carnival haunted by the ghost of Frank Zappa. The circus master is named Les Claypool and the sideshow attractions double as the band. With that mindset, you may be prepared to feel the funk, jams, catchy lyrics, and bass-slapping goodness that Primus has to offer.
Drunk – Thundercat
A one-two punch of another bassist-led project that includes plenty of funk and comedy mixed in equal measure, Thundercat’s “Drunk” is an enrapturing experience throughout. Unabashedly cool and nerdy at the same time, Thundercat slaps on all the right stings in a way that seems at times both a blast from the past and a gift from the future.
Francis the Mute – The Mars Volta
The sophomore album from The Mars Volta holds no punches and explodes into a cavalcade of progressive rock virtuosity right from the first track. A concept album at its core, Francis the Mute borrows elements from a story written in a diary discovered in a repossessed car by the band’s former sound technician. If that sounds up your alley, then you are in for a wild ride.
Steal This Album! – System of a Down
A fair combination of heavy metal, political activism, levity, and storytelling, System of a Down’s provocatively titled album stands out and demands to be heard. Not taking themselves too seriously while simultaneously talking about very serious topics can be a mixed bag, but Steal This Album! nails System’s quintessential sound without anything as corny as “Chop Suey” or conspiracy theorist-y as some of the lyrics on their freshman outing.
Each individual’s music taste is molded just as much by their personality as their environment. In this way, sharing music becomes a channel through which people from all different backgrounds, cultures, and geographies can connect. What are some albums that shaped who you are? Let me know in the comments below.
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