"SF Sorrow" , today , is considered the first Rock Opera , predating "Tommy" , but , it's (very) late release and poor promotion meant it was buried under the weight of Tommy , though it would have undoubtedly been overshadowed , much more , by another LP being recorded at Abbey Road at the same time , had it not been released so late... "Sgt. Pepper".
But , "SF Sorrow" , for it's lush vocal and instrumental arrangements , is still a Rock'n'Roll record , just one that pushed the envelope and succeeded (Artistically.) , like "Forever Changes " (Which you might say was a concept album. I'm not decided on that .) , or that OTHER album recorded , at the same time , at Abbey Road , "The Piper at The Gates of Dawn". You're probably right on the money re. "Odyssey" , though , I admit , I don't even own a copy. I only started listening to The Zombies again fairly recently.
I've always agreed an album that tells a story , like "SF Sorrow" or "Tommy" could be labelled a Concept album , but , sometimes an album is just about a concept. THEN it gets to be meandering.....But that's a crime Punk Rock has been guilty of , too.
dave said:
No Punk LPs come to mind, but for 60s punk there is the Zombies Odyssey and Oracle and the Pretty Things SF Sorrow. I think one of the unofficial tenets of Punk was 3 minute songs and not too much to think about (not a put-down). Too much in the way of concept might get in the way of enjoying yourself (this is for Yank-style Punk fun, pre-hardcore [don'cha start me talkin]).