No, no, it's not the cold medicine having its way with me.
The ROA is a one-off for a band who usually release 3-minute story bites in a collection of 10 or 12 songs. The ROA, on the other hand, is usually one dramatic story told over the course of multiple wall-of-sound 12-minute sagas that are more akin to orchestral works than 5-piece sets. The ROA never quite makes it to Broadway territory because the ROA is still performed by the same rock band through every song. A better way of saying it might be that Broadway brings you into the story and makes you a part of it; the ROA are bards regaling you with an epic saga. Classic "show vs tell," yeah? Naturally, all the "respected" critics commenting within a decade of the release date always hate the ROA, regardless of the band. "It's too too," is usually the review in a nutshell. However, 20 or 30 years later they change their tunes. Examples? Tommy, when it dropped, was panned as a self-indulgent, ego-stroking, drug-fueled-delusional flop. These days, it's iconic and often credited as launching the genre of rock opera. Pink Floyd's ROA The Wall is their second best-selling album.
Thus, to me, "taking it to the next level," means to push boundaries, try new things that break away from what the artist is best known for. The artist is itching to throw off the shackles of expectations--both consumer and record label/publisher/gallery--that have dictated previous works.
Level up, my friends, all the way to 11.
