National Rock Opera Week?

According to Wikipedia, last week was National Rock Opera Week (I found absolutely no other details to support this), but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate.  I personally love Rock Operas in all their forms be they Rock Opera, Folk Opera, or my favorite, a Hip-Hopera.  The fact that a full story is able to be told just through music is very powerful, and always has an impact on me.  These are some of my favorites:

Tommy (The Who): 

You have to give props to Tommy, not only for being the first ever Rock Opera, but also for just being all around amazing.  I actually first heard this album when I was about 12, and I was looking through my parent’s records.  At first I was like “OH MAN, I LOOOOOOOVE PINBALL WIZARD (because I was 12, and cool)” so I listened to the whole thing, and had my brain rocked hardcore.  With the advanced inability to focus on anything for a long time at that age, the fact that I sat in my living room for over an hour just listening to music, and doing nothing else, was a sign just how much I loved it.  Now that I am older, I can appreciate it even more, and actually follow the story more than being like “ok, he’s deaf, dumb and blind, and oh, now he’s getting abused . . . a lot.”  Enjoy

 

The Hazards of Love (The Decemberists):

 

 The newest rock opera (actually folk opera) that I am obsessed with, it is almost too obvious.  As I have said multiple times on this site, I am obsessed with The Decemberists, and so the first time that I heard Colin Meloy play songs from this album during his solo tour, I was in love.  After hearing the whole album, I had to change my pants ( ask Zack Woodard, I was giving him a play by play).  Colin Meloy is insane, and keeps topping himself with each new album.  The story is one of the most amazing/depressing/confusing things I have ever heard in my life, and as the story progresses, you become more and more enthralled until you can’t even think anymore.

 

Are We Not Horses (Rock Plaza Central):

  Hey, who doesn’t want to hear a Rock Opera about 6-legged robotic horses during a war between angels and man?  Idiots, that’s right.  I first heard these guys when a Mr. Aaron Diaz posted a video for “My Children, Be Joyful” on his website and loved it.  Then I heard the concept of the album and was like “waaaah?!??!”  Still, getting this album was one of the happiest days of my life (I also hit a deer that night, but it was after midnight).  Basically, these guys leave it up to you to really interpret what is going on, but really each song in itself is beautiful enough, you don’t need to worry about the crazy story, and absurdity.

 

A Grand Don’t Come For Free (The Streets): 

I feel like everyone who has any taste in music has heard this album, and that just enforces how great it is. With his interesting style of stream of consciousness, spoke word hip-hop,  Mike Skinner offers up smart, touching lyrics telling about a couple weeks in his life, starting with him losing $1000, and ending with him even worse off (or better, depending on how you listen).  With such experimental methods as having the song “Such a Twat” be a cell phone call (complete with dropped calls and swearing at the phone) to the conclusion depending on what the listener wants (“Empty Cans” is actually two songs, one with a happy ending and one with a sad ending), it gives a realistic slice of life.

 

Albatross:  How We Failed To Save the Lone Star State With the Power of Rock and Roll (Fishboy): 

 This is the only rock opera I have actually seen performed live in its entirety (hopefully to be remedied soon), it might rival The Hazards of Lovefor my favorite Rock Opera.  In a story about attempting to save Texas, Fishboy gives us the sweetest, most absurd story ever.  Featuring ghosts, taquerias, Proper Name Spelling Bees, and true love, it is impossible not to become obsessed, and that is even before the amazing and intricate musicality comes into play.  It hurts to know that Fishboy is located out in Denton, Texas, and so it is a rare occassion for him to come to the east coast (I think its only happened once), instead you must be satisfied with his music through speakers.

 

HONORABLE MENTION:

The Tain(The Decemberists): 

 Although they call it a Rock Opera, and it is its own single, it is only 18 minutes long, and technically only 1 track so I really can’t call it a Rock Opera, and not call “The Island” a Rock Opera too, and then debates start coming from everywhere that a song over 10 minutes is a Rock Opera too.  At the same time though, The Tain is amazing in its simplicity.  Without an indepth knowledge of Táin Bó Cúailnge, you will be pretty confused, but it isn’t even important.  The hard rocking guitar, twisted melodies, and beautiful singing (almost entirely from Colin Meloy) serve as a proxy of enjoyment for actually understanding the story.

 If there are any Rock Operas you love, feel free to discuss them in the comments.