I think there IS a concept to the lyrics... somewhat in line with the images in the booklet. I feel it's to do with a bitter divorce, seen from the different points of view of the family members, which revolves around the father's infidelity and the mother's illness. There's a few repeated concepts - people being gullible or lied to, and a "burden" or "rhyme", and repeated talk of a mother, father and son (which fits in with the booklet imagery).
Also, the lyrics to "Heir Apparent" seem to talk about an abusive or manipulative father who is seldom around, and when he is there he talks his way back into the family only to fuck things up again. The last few lines seems to be the son hoping that the father will never return, as he is the "heir apparent" now.
This fits in with lyrics in "The Lotus Eater", which seems to talk about how the narrator (probably the mother) spent years "caring for a liar", and in the end seems to say the son overheard her and the father talking "in the smoke of lost hope" with "the language of parting so clear and so true", indicating a a breakup.
Anybody agree with me there?
So if somebody wants to prove me wrong, I be happy.
