Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 29, 2024, 06:45:39 am

Author Topic: Albums that tell stories  (Read 1692 times)  Share 

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Calebark

  • biscuits of disappointment
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Superstar
  • *****
  • Posts: 2670
  • Respect: +2741
Albums that tell stories
« on: May 19, 2017, 02:20:34 pm »
+5
I really love albums that tell stories. Just post the band, album, what genre you'd say it is, and give a brief summary of the story :) I'm always up for a good story, no matter the type of music. I'll post a few of my favourites. Feel free to discuss any of the stories shared if you happen to listen!
[I'll just note here that my first two albums are pretty dark, oops]


Band: Carach Angren
Album: Death Came Through a Phantom Ship
Genre: Black metal. Kinda symphonic
Story: This is based on the Flying Dutchman. In modern times, a man picks up interference from a ghost ship. He is then haunted by the ghosts -- hearing voices and later put into a trance. While in the trance, he kills his family onboard, before then killing himself. The ship claimed another victim. We then flash back a few centuries and hear about how Van der Decken became captain of the Flying Dutchman. Depressing story, I know, but the whole genre is.

Band: Opeth
Album: Still Life
Genre: Prog metal
Story: This story takes place a few centuries ago, back when religion played a much larger role in society. This man — the protagonist — was exiled from his village 15 years ago. At the start of the album, he returns to find his old love, Melinda. The album focuses on two things. One are his thoughts — outweighing the cost of coming back, his emotions, his feelings, etc. The other is the story itself. So, he meets Melinda, and tries to convince her religion is folly. They meet a few times, and he courts her. He goes to meet her again, but find she has been hung for apostasy. He murders the soldiers responsible before being captured and taken to be executed. As he's on the gallows, he dreams of meeting Melinda again. The story is more complex than that, but I'm not going to fit it all here, haha. It's a love story, albeit a depressing one.

Band: Blind Guardian
Album: Nightfall in Middle Earth
Genre: Power metal
Story: This one is more of a special mention as it isn't an original story. It follows The Silmarillion. It has all the stories, ranging from Morgoth fighting Ungoliant (they even include the Lammoth) to the Fall of the Noldor to Maeglin betraying Gondolin! Definitely an album for any Tolkien fans here.

Band: Pellek
Album: Ocean of Oppurtunity
Genre: Power metal
Story: The protoganist recently lost his daughter. The protoganist's daughter always wanted to adventure, but he never did — his life was normality. Upon his daughter dying, he decides to travel the world as she would have wanted. He describes all the things he sees as he travels from Northern Europe to varsious parts of the world. While in America, his ship burns down. From there, he changes to a hot air balloon, where he continues to adventure. The song ends on his deathbed, as he wishes that he could live, as there is so much more to see. At the very end, he accepts death, as that's just his next adventure.


I've mentioned these bands before, but I have no regrets. Be sure to post your favourites and I'll be sure to give them a listen!
« Last Edit: May 19, 2017, 02:57:45 pm by Calebark »
🐢A turtle has flippers and a tortoise has clubs🐢

brenden

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 7185
  • Respect: +2593
Re: Albums that tell stories
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2017, 02:42:27 pm »
+3
I already love this thread. I love albums which are like a song on it's own if you play it start to finish.
✌️just do what makes you happy ✌️

Calebark

  • biscuits of disappointment
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Superstar
  • *****
  • Posts: 2670
  • Respect: +2741
Re: Albums that tell stories
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2017, 03:01:08 pm »
+3
I already love this thread. I love albums which are like a song on it's own if you play it start to finish.

Any recommendations for us, Brenden? :)
🐢A turtle has flippers and a tortoise has clubs🐢

brenden

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 7185
  • Respect: +2593
Re: Albums that tell stories
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2017, 03:42:06 pm »
+5
Any recommendations for us, Brenden? :)
To be honest, I can't think of an album that's consistent with the examples you've given (not that I've listened to them), but it seems like there's an actual firm plot and narrative to the ones you've suggested.

What I meant by my comment is when like, the album is so well constructed that you get a sense of narrative or narrative progression.

For example, the album I'm absolutely smashing right now is:

Band: The Smith Street Band
Album: More Scared of You Than You Are of Me
Genre: Punk (folk punk?)
Story: There are a few themes through the album, but one of the most major ones is relationships. It's so prominent that I feel like it tells a story from start to finish, with the beginning being about like, new love, relationships beginning, and then we start to see dysfunction around the middle, and then towards the end there's a firm resolution. In the spoiler below, I've used lyrics from throughout the album to capture the narrative as I see it. It's pretty long but, I hope it motivates some people to listen to the album :)

Spoiler
Track 2 tells the story of like, the 'hope' before a relationship, where you want it to occur:
Quote
Spent the morning cleaning my room
In the hope you'd ask to see it soon
and, humorously:
Quote
I don't mean to put the pressure on
But you're gonna like my dad
I know you'll love my mum and
I don't mean to put the pressure on
I got a few names for a daughter
Can't think of one for a son

Track 4 tells of the early relationship - insecurity, fear, love happening etc:
Quote
Last night I said, "I love you" without a hint of fear
Last night I said, "I love you" nothing exploded, no one disappeared
and
Quote
And all I think I'd need to cast off insecurities
Is for you to write something for me
Like I write for you incessantly
But I don't live in your mind the way that you do in mine

I think Track 5, the relationship gets sort of complicated:
Quote
I was tempted by your company
And you've already noticed me
I'm sorry for what I say when I don't know what I'm saying
And you don't have to play this cat and mouse game I am playing
and
Quote
And I hope you're happy, I hope you've slept
I'll try not write another record about the pain in my chest
I'm just so glad I could be someone that you wanted
and
Quote
And I'm absolutely infinitely more scared of you than you are of me
And I've always been the one who cares too much
and
Quote
And there's nothing I can really do
So I sit in the band room, start fights to get attention from you
There is nothing I am qualified or smart enough to do
Sit in the band room and start fights to get attention from you

Track 6, we see the type of dysfunction that's full of love but also resentment:
Quote
When you start crying in the middle of a fight
I never wanna see you sad
But that does not mean that you are right
And I wake and I pace around the bed
Doesn't mean I can't be near you
But being alive makes me stressed
You fall asleep as I'm patting your head
and
Quote
If you need me I'll come running
Would have thought that I'd proved that
Can divide our despair, could've conquered our sad

By Track 7, I think they've broken up but I could be reaching here, because the rest of the song isn't particularly direct:
Quote
Finally not waking up dreaming of your ghost
and
Quote
I am not smarter than many
But I do think that I'm smarter than you
Dappled sunlight that the warm air reciprocates
You look up long enough to notice
But not long enough to appreciate that

Track 8:
Quote
It was so cold in the top room
But I didn't wanna risk waking you
and
Quote
I am someone in your passenger seat
I'm your punching bag
I will let you kick the shit outta me
And I'll hold your hand
I'll be whatever you tell me to be
And I'll understand
and
Quote
If I can't see a future for you without evil
A future for me without you will, only make it better
So I start hoping, that I stop smoking
Because the ducks are in a row and
This is my best chance to get my shit together

Track 9 is just plain despair. In my interpretation, slightly brought on by the failing relationship:
Quote
Something about the summer I didn't cope with well
and
Quote
There's something in the tone of my voice
That makes you question everything I say
And I will never learn to just shut my mouth
And bury things our parents' way
And you said that I should quit what I fear
And I know I just wanted it to be my idea
And you said that I do not exist
And I know at least now we agree on it

And I'll keep telling myself
That I'm not just here for everyone else
Make plans for birthdays that I don't care if I celebrate
And I'm sorry that I can't be what everybody wants from me
I do not feel that I am loved
But I do not reach out enough
But I'm reaching up

Track 10- post-relationship struggles:
Quote
Young love is just practice for a far more ancient
And hopefully successful bond
Between someone who is scared
And someone that they've incorrectly assumed to be strong
and
Quote
I'm lonely and angry and desperate
I smashed up my furniture broke my finger doing it
I'm half crying, half laughing and half pissed
and
Quote
Go forth and suffer for your art
If it's all you look for you will always find the dark
You're the worst thing that ever happened to me

Track 11 - a genuinely amazing song - I think, he's finding some solace looking back:
Quote
I was so damn clever in my own little world
Gone and made the perfect gesture for the perfect girl
But nothing ever really works out like that
and
Quote
And we were young once
So was everyone
I guess something about it felt important
And we were happy once
So was everyone
I guess I never realised it was so important
and
Quote
What if I was right for someone else?
And what if I never learn how to live with myself?
And what if when I leave, you find someone that completes you?
Will that change anything or will I turn back into a pattern I'm so used to?

Track 12 is a story about the first tour he went on after the break up, where he bumped into another girl from Australia and hung out with her. So sort of, caps it off.

Funnily enough, in the course of googling the lyrics for this post, I came across an interview with the band's songwriter/singer, who actually said he wrote each song on this album as he was feeling things in his relationship, so it's quite literally telling that narrative. Pretty cool.
✌️just do what makes you happy ✌️

Calebark

  • biscuits of disappointment
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Superstar
  • *****
  • Posts: 2670
  • Respect: +2741
Re: Albums that tell stories
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2017, 02:43:34 am »
+3
Bringing this music thread back to life -- tell us about your favourites! Let's excuse the fact that it's 2am, I can't sleep

Band: Ayreon
Album: The Human Equation
Genre: Prog metal(ish)
Story: I need to add a bit of information about Ayreon: every album they do is a separate concept album. It features a tonne of guest vocalists. Each vocalist plays a different character in the story. It's a very slow build, proggy album, and it's definitely not for everyone.

The story follows a man ('Me') in a coma. As there are 20 songs in the album, we follow him through 20 days. Throughout these days, he realises that in order to wake up, he has to confront what he's been repressing. He explores the repressed memories of his past, his emotions, and gets closer and closer to finding out how he ended up in the coma.

List of all characters/vocalists
    James LaBrie (Dream Theater) as Me
    Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath) as Fear
    Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine) as Reason
    Heather Findlay (Mostly Autumn) as Love
    Irene Jansen as Passion
    Magnus Ekwall (The Quill) as Pride
    Devon Graves (Deadsoul Tribe, ex-Psychotic Waltz) as Agony
    Marcela Bovio (Vuur, Elfonía, ex-Stream of Passion) as Wife
    Mike Baker (Shadow Gallery) as Father
    Devin Townsend (Devin Townsend Project, ex-Strapping Young Lad) as Rage

List of all instruments in the album
-Electric guitar
-Acoustic guitar
-Bass guitar
-Mandolin
-Lap steel guitar
-Keyboard
-Synthesizer
-Hammond
-Drums
-Violin
-Cello
-Flute
-Whistle
-Alto flute
-Panpipes
-Treble recorder
-Didgeridoo
-Bassoon
-Spinet

I don't want to listen. Why is he in a coma?
Plot twist, the coma-guy is actually a bit of an ass. Throughout the story, we learn that he's emotionally neglectful to his wife, and he got his best friend fired. He ends up pushing them both away. They find solace in each other and sleep together, which the coma-guy finds out about. Afterwards, he purposely crashes his car into a tree in the hopes of ending his life. In the end, the characters of Wife and Love sing together, showing he's going to finally start caring about her. He then awakens from his coma. We never find out if he patches things up or not. I like to think he doesn't -- he's certainly an ass and doesn't deserve it.

A lot more happens (like exploring his childhood, his reasons for doing things, etc), so above is just the main part of the story.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2017, 05:31:19 pm by Calebark »
🐢A turtle has flippers and a tortoise has clubs🐢

creatureofhaze

  • Adventurer
  • *
  • Posts: 8
  • Respect: 0
Re: Albums that tell stories
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2017, 02:17:04 pm »
+2
A bit of a sad one. Get a hold of a box of tissues before you delve right into this one.
Phil Elverum has always been one of my favourite artists and it's because there always seems to be zero sign of any post-production on his songs. Basically, what you hear from him is very raw -- in terms of sound and lyric.

Band: Mount Eerie
Album: A Crow Looked at Me
Genre: Lo-fi, Indie-folk
Story:
“This new album is barely music. It’s just me speaking her name out loud, her memory.”
The "her" Elverum refers to is his wife who died last year. It's an unsettlingly private album. He literally, and I mean literally, signposts the days since her death, some pieces written days after her death, some written weeks after. The album isn't exactly a "story" written in chronological order, but Elverum takes you through his personal mourning process, his thoughts and reminiscings. Definitely some depressing themes dealt with in this album and not to mention, insightful symbolism. This album has stuck with me for quite a while.