>>to start:
>>
>>Deltron 3030 was already mentioned
>
>I dunno, man... a rebellion against giant corporations in the
>future?

and intergalactic rap battles, what's not to love?



>maybe, but the concept is presented rather vaguely throughout,
>correct?

it's a pretty simple concept


>Also, I tend to think of it as a perhaps better
>version of the same cautionary fable as Tommy - the rise and
>fall, dangers of excess, etc.

i don't disagree, rather was just listing some immediate examples


>huh, musical concepts is a better idea than a lame story,
>which most concept albums seem to entail. But it's a slightly
>different beast.

it does open up another can of worms, but i thought they (bjork and everyone involved) did such a great job that the album deserved a mention


>>Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (dystopian future)
>>
>>Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
>>(http://www.4degreez.com/nailz/ninterpretations/downspiral.html)
>
>I don't have time to read that second one

me neither, but i read it when i was a teenager and was wowed


>but is that a case
>of superimposing an interpretation onto a completed work?

the album (TDS) feels thematic, and the idea that there's some kind of concept doesn't feel like a stretch just listening to it, but i remembered that dissertation being pretty compelling in regard to the overall story arc, culminating in suicide (title track) and *then* some kind of after death rumination ("hurt")?! weird but actually makes sense. it could well be the intent, but i don't think it was ever confirmed with the artist.

on the other hand, 'year zero' was a concept album outright and 100% consistent with it IMO


>>J Dilla - Donuts (the concept is subtle--you have to pay
>>attention to the song titles and sample sources and contrast
>>it all with his life--but present; happy birthday and rest
>in
>>peace)
>
>never considered the idea, probably couldn't ID the samples
>well enough to connect the dots.

one of the samples toward the end is "when i die" by motherlode, for example