I know the band hated the process they had to go through to make the album, and the end result was to some extent still botched by the outside powers that be, but I really believe being pushed to work and rework the material for this album was absolutely a positive thing that resulted in some of their strongest material. While it might not be to most DT fans’ or the band’s tastes (it is more to mine than what has followed it), it is the furthest thing from a DT by the numbers type of album and I will always love that about it.
Yes! To be frank, I know DT has always bristled at having a producer or outside ear. But I really think it benefited them on their 90s records. I really do. To-date, I consider I&W, Awake, and FII three of their best albums (with SFAM and Distance Over Time) in the top-5 as well. And part of that reason is that I think the 90s records really captured their technical ability, but also the soulful quality of the band - that fine line between playing and over playing. I think once SFAM hit, and particularly after that, they overplayed, and its the reason why I don't think as highly of them. Still like the 00s output, but not as much. And I think that outside influence, and helping the band hone in their natural tendencies to overplay, helped. Just thinking out loud. Obviously, people love their 2000s output a ton, and they spiked in popularity then, so I'm likely in the minority on this. But you really captured something I agree with