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[Bob Olhsson]

"Concept album" is a tag record reviewers have saddled some projects with.

In the real world, people try to create great songs. They often sound somewhat related, especially if they are written and recorded within a short period of time but I've almost never heard of people thinking about overall concepts until the final sequence. People who are really good frequently sh!tcan a number of tunes at the end of a project.

[drumsound]

My advice is to mix for the song.  Even though the record sounds as if it's all over the map there are things the will tie it together no matter what you do.  The lead voice is one.  Even singers who change up their tone always sound like themselves.  There is also you.  Every mixer has a certain aesthetic and reacts to things a certain way.  I know I do.

A subtle trick I use is to re-use certain things.  Keep you sub-group compressors consistent.  Change their setting to work for the song, vary their levels as needed, but keep 'em the same.  They have a tone that is imparted on what they are hearing.  I sometime re-use effects.  On a record I'm mixing right now, I used a long delay on one word.  I mixed is very far in the background.  On another song I use the same delay on the guitar solo, but loud like a stomp box.  I doubt anyone will make the connection, but I believe it subtly ties the songs together.

[odysseys]

First thing is:would you take charge of the project in the first place if it was suggested to you? if yes then it means that you already have some ideas about it.So try them out and ask for 'co-produced' credit.If no,then it means that you're not inspired by the whole thing.In that case you should go the 'technical' road,just look for the best song in your opinion,work the production based on this and engage its sonic properties to the other songs.It's a suggestion.