Dream Theater enters US album charts at #6

Of DT's last 6 discs, five of them grew on me over time.  Upon every listen, one or two more tracks would go into the win column.

Systematic Chaos didn't go over with me because so much of the album is technical wankery that just isn't musical to me.  It's like they stitched in excessive instrumental sections that had absolutely no relation to the actual songs, most of which weren't too strong to begin with.  They must have clued into that, because Black Clouds is a complete 180 from SC in that respect.

On Black Clouds, to me the last three tracks are the strongest.  But the first three are stronger than anything on SC (other than perhaps The Ministry Of Lost Souls) because they are focused on the songwriting.  That's when virtually any band are at their best.

Give it another few spins.  Patience will be greatly rewarded.

And I still didn't get the album. Believe it or not. The store I go to has almost DT's entire catalogue bar the new release. They said it'll be there by the weekend. Let's see.

I like the Budokan gig DVD. People who are more into DT than me don't seem to like it that much. : -( 

A friend told me to buy "scenes from new york" or something like that and said I'd like it. Let's see...

I liked "Train of Thought" a lot. It's one of the few cds of their catalogue that I have. 

Well...this is my DT expertise: Image and Words, Octavarium, Train of Thought and the Budokan gig. lol 

Let's hope I can finally get it next weekend. I liked they selected more unusual - though arguably as good as or better than many hits - Queen songs.
 
Curious to listen to the covers and the whole album. 

Great thread!

Yara

Would it be worth buying this album for the Queen covers alone?

Let me put it differently: is it a suitable album to get into DT?

Buy it!

I think that you should probably like "Images & Words" and "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory". The new album is great (not only because of the Queen cover) but "Images & Words" and "Scenes From A Memory" are definitely their strongest outputs, because they are "catchier" and less heavy than some other albums. Moreover, "Images" and "Scenes" show their singer James LaBrie at his best (a lot of high, operatic singing).

[i]"But I was also, by one of those strange alignments of the planets, able to see the band who have just delivered what my mate Rog called (totally unprompted last week) "The best Queen cover job ever". Yes, the redoubtable Dream Theatre. IT was a revelation. Their scope is way beyond covering Ancient Rock Bands, of course ... and actually way beyond Rock, I'd say. They are what would have been called, about 30 years ago - truly 'progressive, with more than a touch of fusion'. But their musicianship is way beyond even that. The whole band are virtuosos ... I'm kind of ashamed I never discovered them before. Their set was completely without any hint of 'playing to the Gallery'. They took their time mapping out their songs, which I can only say succulently drip with the best kind of complexity. Wonderful playing. I will be back for more. So will about 80,000 Classic Rock fans who gave them a great reception in the old "Monsters of Rock" fields - what we all used to know as the Donnington Castle gig."[/i]  (Brian May after visiting a gig of Dream Theater at the Download Festival)

[i]“Bloody hell… DREAM THEATER seem to be amazing … thanks. I had not heard this… Beautifully done… great vocals … great musicianship … great production… and … Cop that solo in ‘Tenement Funster’!! Ouch! Thanks… ! Love it. and it’s a great compliment to us… OK … I have to hear more now. Great to hear someone ‘do’ our stuff, and fathom all our conjuring tricks, and then add some great new ones of their own.” ([/i]Brian May)

Rick (and all the other guys who are interested in exploring DT music),

please check out these clips on Youtube:

Grand Finale / Losing Time (2002) -> very powerful and operatic, extreme vocal part at 2:30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvTcOynhaek

Hollow Years (1997) -> amazing ballad with a Queen influenced guitar solo at 6:20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6k1VdgNeKE

A Fortune In Lies (1989) -> amazing rock song, both heavy and melodic, amazing vocals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0zQsRgEXTY

and two songs from the amazing debut album "Images & Words"

Another Day (by far the best vocal performance in rock history)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axSSXzMumlg

Surrounded (very catchy song with amazing vocals and an intro you probably know...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVrJlPiyX_s

P.S. You can very easily find the Queen medley on Youtube.

Do you like it???

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[b]Yara wrote: [/b]

I like the Budokan gig DVD. People who are more into DT than me don't seem to like it that much. : -(
[/QUOTE]
It's definitely not their best work overall, but there are some great moments on it.  The version of Hollow Years is worth the price of admission alone, and the 15 minute instrumedley is absolutely brilliant.  You know you're a fan when you can follow all the changes, knowing exactly when they're switching from one song to another.

From a songwriting standpoint, start with Images And Words.  Scenes From A Memory is the concept album that may be an acquired taste, but it is generally seen as their strongest work.

[QUOTE]A friend told me to buy "scenes from new york" or something like that and said I'd like it. Let's see...[/QUOTE]
It's basically the Scenes album in its entirety (with many embellishments) and the best of their earlier stuff played for the remainder of the show.  Disc 3 is basically all the good traits of DT slapped onto one glorious piece of plastic.  These 5 songs are also on the DVD as extras.

If you like DT's more melodic side, then be sure to check out 70s Yes, starting with Fragile, Close To The Edge, and Relayer.  I think it was John Petrucci who said DT were basically like a heavy Yes without all the vocal harmonies.

[QUOTE]





























[b]Rick wrote: [/b]















Would it be worth buying this album for the Queen covers alone?

Let me put it differently: is it a suitable album to get into DT?













[/QUOTE]
The Queen covers are on disc 2 of the 3-disc version, independent from the actual album.  They're excellent covers, but they're probably not what will get someone into the band.

Black Clouds is a great record, and it certainly may earn your favour.  But I'd still start with Images And Words and Scenes From A Memory.  The band are an acquired taste as a whole, since they are so different from what our mainstream dictates us to hear (maybe not so much in Europe, but certainly in North America)... but these two records basically encapsulate everything that is good about this band.

Just stay the hell away from Systematic Chaos.  That record almost made me turn in my badge.

[QUOTE]

[b]Sir GH wrote: [/b]

[QUOTE]

 



[b]Yara wrote: [/b]



I like the Budokan gig DVD. People who are more into DT than me don't seem to like it that much. : -(

[/QUOTE]
It's definitely not their best work overall, but there are some great moments on it.  The version of Hollow Years is worth the price of admission alone, and the 15 minute instrumedley is absolutely brilliant.  You know you're a fan when you can follow all the changes, knowing exactly when they're switching from one song to another.

From a songwriting standpoint, start with Images And Words.  Scenes From A Memory is the concept album that may be an acquired taste, but it is generally seen as their strongest work.

[QUOTE]A friend told me to buy "scenes from new york" or something like that and said I'd like it. Let's see...[/QUOTE]
It's basically the Scenes album in its entirety (with many embellishments) and the best of their earlier stuff played for the remainder of the show.  Disc 3 is basically all the good traits of DT slapped onto one glorious piece of plastic.  These 5 songs are also on the DVD as extras.

If you like DT's more melodic side, then be sure to check out 70s Yes, starting with Fragile, Close To The Edge, and Relayer.  I think it was John Petrucci who said DT were basically like a heavy Yes without all the vocal harmonies.

[/QUOTE]
Wow! That's great and beautiful. I love to get tips on records and read comments on them. Ok...the "scenes" seems to be interesting indeed and I think I'll give it a chance first. I listened to Image & Words quite a lot but I didn't keep exploring the band's music, so all I have are some disjointed pieces which I enjoy for what they are. "Train of Thought" is such an album - I really like it. Pretty much like Queen or any other artist, I usually like sections or parts of the songs/concerts/sonatas/whatever more than the songs in their entirety. Bohemian Rhapsody would be my favorite Queen song topping even We Are The Champions if the mock-operetta part were done on the piano and guitar only.

Train of Thought has the kind of stuff I enjoy and relate to. It's hard to explain, but I usually go after musical concepts - certain kinds of modulations, some harmonies, a certain type of counterpoint, some traditional, but effective dissonances, and so on...and these things may comprise like...30 seconds of the song and it's enough for me to say that I like the song.

So this is me. lol Next time I go to the store and ask for tips you know my profile already. :op Hehehe. Just kidding.

Thank you as always for being helpful, thoughtful and, well, a sweetheart. 

Best regards,
Yara

This is "The Spirit Carries On", a wonderful song from "Scenes From A Memory" recorded a few weeks ago in Bulgaria. Check it out!!! (It's only a bootleg recording, but the quality is awsome!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXqYuK6eXoM

[QUOTE]

 



[b]Stephan wrote: [/b]



This is "The Spirit Carries On", a wonderful song from "Scenes From A Memory" recorded a few weeks ago in Bulgaria. Check it out!!! (It's only a bootleg recording, but the quality is awsome!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXqYuK6eXoM
[/QUOTE]

Hi, Stephan!

Thank you very much.

Well, for an unoficial video the quality is quite good.

Thanks a lot, really. I divide it in two parts because I think there are two songs:  

1) I didn't enjoy that much the basic three chord motif of the ballad - it drags a bit and is all too predictable because there's not an interesting bridge propelled by either the kitchen or the piano and it invariably relies on basic thirds or fifths for the resolution. Different from the slight spin Brian used to do on the piano for the beginning of the second part of Save Me, for instance - he plays around with an interesting dissonance which results in a brief tension-release of gorgeous dramatic and melodic effect. Simple - well, not that simple - and effective.   

2) On the other hand, the guitar work is worth the song. Hands down. I loved it. The guitar seems to play a song of its own, sometimes very loosely related to the theme, and the result is beautiful: the soloing make up for the bridge and for the shortcomings of the basic melody. An alternative, parallel song starts to develop based on the guy's guitar and the cadences are very nice. The guitar only hints at the chorus here and there through broken performanti. It's beautiful and creates a good effect.

That'd be my most humble opinion on this piece by these great musicians. The guitar playing is top-notch.

Regards and thanks!

Yara

Stephan, thank you very much for the link.  Great performance.

Yara, the piano bit appears many times throughout the 'Scenes From A Memory' concept album.  Love the Pink Floyd inspired ending (DT's DVD of 'Dark Side of the Moon' is well worth a watch and listen).

Just came to realize as I was listening to the 'Count of Tuscany' yet again.  First of all, the last 7 minutes is my most enjoyable long segment of 'Black Cloud'.  

Second....there was a part near the end that sounded vaguely familiar.  It starts with the guitar solo at around 11 minutes, and really stands out from 14:50 to 17:10.  The vocals and music are so similar to, of all things ............'Say It's Not True'.

I did a bit of YouTube watching, and found a clip of In The Presence Of Enemies part 1 from their concert in Romania.

As much as I don't like much of Systematic Chaos, this track really works well as an opener live.  The audience were completely eating out of the palm of their hand.

Would appreciate any comments from the Europeans in regards to the second segment of DT's tour across the pond.

Concert dates can be found by clicking the tour link at www.dreamtheater.net

I enjoyed the two shows I saw with different friends in Philadelphia, PA, and Columbia, MD.  Not crazy about parts of the setlists or the limited time they were on stage.  Although each of my friends saw their favorite tracks live at each one.  Zappa Meets Zappa was absolutely fab.

IMHO, I still am not crazy about the 'Dark Clouds' album.  'Nightmare' could have had three minutes cut, 'Passages' two minutes cut (Rudess' solos add nothing), 'Wither' sounds like a Nirvana/Cinderella mix, 'Shattered Fortress' has a great intro, and then the rest is lame (glad Portnoy is done with his 12 steps), 'Best of Times' (about 8 minutes too long), has some incredibly beautiful music, but lyrics and length make it a tad too timid and obvious.  A sentimental instrumental beginning, followed by a very familiar 'Red Barchetta' from Rush's 'Moving Pictures'. 

'The Count of Tuscany' has some of the best music I've heard..........but what's the point of the lyrics?  The intro, part of the middle, and the last 9 minutes (Say It's Not True melody) is absolutely exquisite, some of the best mood setting music I've heard since, ....well disc two of 'Six Degrees', as well as 'Octavarium' ,.......and yet........

They need someone to say 'no' on occasion to their extravagence.

anyhoo..................I look forward to any comments or reviews of their shows.  I wish I could see one or two over there.

I think that this album is their best since Six degrees. I'm not saying scenes from a memory because I hate the theme. It makes me really sad. I think its a great album but the theme really puts me off.  My opinions on each song:

ANTR: Brilliant song, and I don't mind Mike's vocals, but I wish he hadn't said roar at the end of his vocals, great solo's from Jordan and John, and JLB singing was stunning!! He has improved amazingly!! I love this song.

AROP: Another excellent song, this time a little bit shorter. James' singing on this is also excellent. But I do like the beginning, a great bass solo from John Myung. Overall, I think this song is excellent.

Wither: WOW!! This song is so gentle, it could be a lullaby. But it is an excellently written song, with James' vocals once again stunning. The song is just beautiful. Nothing more can be said!

SF: Another good song, with all the songs that they have done about AA blended. I think that he really put a lot of thought into this song. An excellent song from Mike :)

TBOT: Very Rush!! Doesn't stop it from being a good song! I think it's very good for Mike to write a song about the death of his father. It is a very sad song though, for me, but it moves me very much. Another good song from Mike. :)

TCOT: I love this song, the lyrics make me laugh!! The instrumental parts are absolutely amazing. And I love the way James really can change the characters in his voice from one person to another person in a second. Well done John. P :)

My favourite:
Wither. It is just an amazingly beautiful, striking ballad, with excellent, or may I say brilliant singing from James LaBrie, and just makes me go WOW!! Congratulations to John Petrucci for writing this amazing song!!

Rock on DT!!

Interesting how you pick Wither.  It is a great tune.

But to me, The Count Of Tuscany is not only the strongest track on the album, but perhaps the best progressive rock piece written in decades.  It is just perfect in every way, evoking all the emotions that a progressive piece can manage.  It is by far the best thing DT have ever come up with, I think.