15 Brain-Twisting Concept Albums That Are Endlessly Rewarding
14. Transverse City Warren Zevon
Unlike most dystopian warnings, theres nothing futuristic about Warren Zevons Transverse City: its all happening now. Following on the heels of his first big comeback, Zevon poured everything into this 1989 release, using his financial recovery to hire one of the most impressive lineups of guest musicians ever assembled (including Chick Corea, Jerry Garcia, David Gilmour and Neil Young) so he could adequately tell this song-by-song diagnosis of modern societys gravest ills. The problems Zevon tackles were just beginning: police militarisation, ecological devastation, proxy wars, rampant consumerism and socialisation through technology. Since 1989, each of these problems has spiralled further out of control. Splendid Isolation is a hilarious, yet desperate prayer to escape from it all, while They Moved the Moon is a quiet song with a simple, haunting melody in which a distraught Zevon reflects on the impossibility of this altered world. Its one of the albums most human moments, and its sad poignancy is surprisingly effective. While Zevon offers little in the way of optimism, his humor is still apparent throughout Transverse City, especially on later tracks like Down in the Mall. Its also one of Zevons most guitar-heavy albums his collaboration with David Gilmour on Run Straight Down is a fantastic pairing and its to his credit that he can make a line like Turmoil back in Moscow catchy. By 1989 it was pretty easy to see the emerging order, but its still remarkable just how prescient Zevons diagnosis was.
Kyle Schmidlin is a writer and musician living in Austin, TX. He manages the news blog at thirdrailnews.wordpress.com. Follow him at facebook.com/kyleschmidlin or twitter.com/kyleschmidlin1.
