SFAM....It's a story!
That is what I just don't understand. How does the fact that an album is a concept album automatically put the lyrics and the music of that album at the top of so many people's "favourite" lists? For the sole reason that they're part of a concept album? I wouldn't agree with this at all.
Nope. The reasons for me are:
1) Like I said (more than once in fact... ok, I said it lots of times) - it's just amazing how they combined two very simple stories (a man with visions at night/a love story with two brothers competing) into such a complex concept which, for me, is anything but "stupid, cheesy and cliche".
2) Like someone else mentioned, the lyrics are just incredibly well-written overall and they make it feel real, like if they really exist(ed). I feel it's not even possible to look at it in the "oh, it's just the album concept" way, they just grab you in there.
3) Even though it's just a made-up story, they're written with a lot of feeling and emotion, just like if they were real, personal lyrics. This is quite rare and definitely something to appreciate.
4) There's not a single line in there that wouldn't fit or would be sung in a way that doesn't really fit. Everything is in the right place.
That's why. Like I said, an album being a concept album can either make it even more awesome (if the album is great and so is the concept), or it can bring it down even if it's a great album. This is definitely the former case.
On a side note, I'm surprised by the total lack of votes on FII.