10 Concept Albums Tim Heidecker Thinks Everyone Should Own

Crate Digging is our recurring function collection that takes a deep dive into music historical past to show up a number of albums all music followers ought to know. On this version, comic and musician Tim Heidecker makes his picks for one of the best idea albums of all time.

Tim Heidecker, when given the chance to counsel a subject for a Crate Digging, selected idea albums. It is because, he tells Consequence, “in a self-serving method, I feel I are likely to put out idea albums” — together with his latest studio album Slipping Away, in addition to previous releases like Concern of Demise and Excessive Faculty.

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By way of his personal artistic course of, Heidecker says that when he’s engaged on a report, “I’m attempting to think about what’s connecting all of it — what I’m attempting to say or what I’m attempting to speak about, and the way the songs can inform that concept. I feel the report is clearly like not doing properly as an idea, as a bit of artwork — like, the concept of an album. I feel youngsters aren’t fairly so tuned into that, however I’m a believer in it and I like albums that do this.”

In fact, the query of what an idea album is turns into necessary, and Heidecker absolutely acknowledges that it’s “form of laborious” to reply it. His definition, although, is a report with a perspective: “There’s a continuity to the songs, nevertheless it doesn’t verge into full-on rock opera or musical. There’s loads of thought put into how the songs work collectively, and you may write a caption for what the album is about, kind of…”

He laughs. “Which I’ll try to do with these.”

Elvis Costello — The Juliet Letters

Every tune is within the type of a letter: It’s an idea of imaginary letters being despatched to an imaginary recipient. It’s very eclectic music as a result of it’s a string quartet and Elvis Costello — nevertheless it’s a cool writing train, like, can these songs exist as one thing that you’d learn as a letter? There are love letters, there are breakup letters, there’s a cease-and-desist type of letter… I believed it was very artistic and creative and cohesive as a mission. Whereas it doesn’t inform a full story, it’s definitely an idea.

I found this when it got here out, as a result of I used to be an enormous Elvis Costello fan. He’s such an awesome lyricist. I’m such an admirer of his manner with phrases, and this was an awesome train in exhibiting how intelligent he may be.

The Juliet Letters: Stream | Buy

Randy Newman — Good Outdated Boys

It’s most likely Randy’s most cohesive idea. I feel it began out much more literal — the title of the unique report was Johnny Cutler’s Birthday, and it was all about this man who lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and all of the songs are form of from his perspective. That doesn’t find yourself being the complete report — it veers off, which makes it much less of a musical and extra of an idea report, in regards to the numerous voices of individuals from the South.

It’s a controversial report as a result of the primary tune has acquired the N-word throughout it. However he’s coming from the satirical place of speaking about race and racism and undoubtedly placing placing it on trial, or commenting on it from the proper perspective. And it’s a wonderful report. I really like the continuity of the music, the band that performs on it’s top-notch, it’s acquired Southern taste to it, and the songs are very humorous. There are some very unhappy songs on it, too. It’s only a nice capturing of a Northerner’s perspective of the South.

The wonderful thing about the redneck tune is he’s singing about this concept of a white man within the South, however he’s additionally very vital of the North with regards to race relations and the way the ghettos of the large cities have been treating African-People, in loads of methods simply as unhealthy because the South. Everyone’s on trial, on Randy’s report.

Good Outdated Boys: Stream | Buy

The Band — The Band

Additionally a report in regards to the South from Northerners. I don’t know if I’ve seen [The Band’s second album] described fairly as an idea album, nevertheless it’s similar to Good Outdated Boys, in that I do know Robbie Robertson wrote loads of the songs after speaking to his bandmate Levon Helm about rising up in Arkansas and telling tales about life within the South from their perspective.

I imply, clearly, “The Night time They Drove Outdated Dixie Down” is an interesting tune, as a result of it’s from the perspective of a poor Southern soldier, somebody who isn’t too within the problems with the warfare itself, simply form of like, “I gotta do my responsibility.” And the entire report has this continuity of sound, that appears like these are characters who know one another or spend time collectively. A snapshot of a long-gone time period.

The Band: Stream | Buy

Bob Dylan — Blood on the Tracks

An all-timer. That is the divorce report. That is the report you placed on if you’re going via a breakup or fascinated about breaking apart. It appears like Dylan’s most private autobiographical album; there are some very direct references to his personal marriage, and once more, it appears like all these songs belong collectively. It virtually appears like a reside report, within the sense that it appears like they only performed one tune after which stored rolling and performed the following tune. I don’t understand how intentional the idea was — possibly it revealed itself after the actual fact. Nevertheless it’s on my listing as completely important.

Blood on the Tracks: Stream | Buy