Just Let Me Breathe

[cyberdrummer]

I don't think there's a thread for this song - very underrated in my opinion. It has a lot of groove and a cool instrumental section, ripe for jamming on the next tour I reckon, a la the 2005/06 tour.

[wasteland]

I have to say that I was never too big on this song. Not in the least. I would keep in on the shelves for another decade or so... 

[ZKX-2099]

Great high energy tune.

Love the solo trade off bit.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't think there's a thread for this song - very underrated in my opinion. It has a lot of groove and a cool instrumental section, ripe for jamming on the next tour I reckon, a la the 2005/06 tour.

*appreciates*

A very cool shorter rock tune, and it's the song that got me into FII at all. As you said, it has a lot of groove, and DS's mixolydian keyboard melody over the top makes it really catchy.
I think they should have released this as a single. Great little tune.

[Infinite Cactus]

It's the bitches kneecaps for shore Pauly.

[fisotteke]

Love that one !!!

[Bolsters]

I do like the song, but it is probably still one of my least favourite tracks from the album. It does get more hate than it deserves.

[Ruba]

Was one of my favourite DT tunes when I got FII. I like it still, but I haven't played it in ages.

[phantom]

Love it, as well as the rest of FII and the material that was left out.
Too bad it doesn't get much attention.

[?]

Not a bad song but has never been one of my favorites either.

[KevShmev]

*cough*

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=33475.msg1364464#msg1364464

*cough*

 

But anyway, I will stand by what I said in that thread:

Overall, while not a great DT song by any means, and still probably one that could have been a lot better, it still has some cool stuff going on.

[cyberdrummer]

Damn, it wasn't listed in the stickied index thread. Maybe the two should be merged then.

[Lowdz]

everything that was wrong with FII in one song. Dumbed down, compromised, trying to be something they aren't. As always a DT tune can be salvaged by it's instrumental section but the song? Poor.

[KevShmev]

Eh, I don't think it is a big deal, cyberdrummer.

I think the idea that a song or album can't have more than one thread is crazy anyway. Besides, I know from my years of message board experience that bumping an old thread often only gets a few replies after it, while starting a brand new thread gets a lot more.  Probably because posters want their opinion about said song/album in the new thread, too, and more replies are likely to generate more discussion, which is never a bad thing, so it's all good.

[Scorpion]

Well, this is and has always been one of my least favourites on FII, but thanks to this thread I relistened and it was far better than I remember it, I actually quite liked it. The main riff is groovy as fuck and DS does some really cool stuff in the instrumental part. Not too crazy on the lyrics, but it's an alright song in my book.

Now the only clunkers on FII are the first two tracks, in my opinion, and as a whole, I'd say it's my third or fourth favourite. I had the opinion that JLMB held it back, but it's really quite cool.

Thanks for making the thread.

[jonnybaxy]

everything that was wrong with FII in one song. Dumbed down, compromised, trying to be something they aren't. As always a DT tune can be salvaged by it's instrumental section but the song? Poor.

This.

The song is poor (for DT) at best, it didn't have enough 'oomph' in it, Doesn't do anything for me.

[cyberdrummer]

Well, this is and has always been one of my least favourites on FII, but thanks to this thread I relistened and it was far better than I remember it, I actually quite liked it. The main riff is groovy as fuck and DS does some really cool stuff in the instrumental part. Not too crazy on the lyrics, but it's an alright song in my book.

Now the only clunkers on FII are the first two tracks, in my opinion, and as a whole, I'd say it's my third or fourth favourite. I had the opinion that JLMB held it back, but it's really quite cool.

Thanks for making the thread.

Glad to have changed someone's opinion! I'm actually a fan of New Millennium as well, like JLMB it has a lot of groove.

[Ben_Jamin]

It has good energy, groove and was awesome live. It was cool to hear this paired with Acid Rain on LSFNY as it kept the same energy throughout. The tapping part is one of the coolest thinhs DT has done,  the tones there really blend well and make an interesting sound.

Not one of my faves but if im in the mood for some rocking stuff and this comes on i'll listen.

[Unlegit]

Decent song; in the middle of my ranking for FII. Much better than the low points but definitely not up there.

[Pols Voice]

I never had a problem with this song. Nothing about it stands out as really good or really bad.

[MoraWintersoul]

James Let Me Brie.


Seriously though, it's pretty good fun, aside from slightly dated lyrics, but "all bottled up and tearing at the seams I'm bored just let me breathe" is a good battle-cry for my generation so I guess it evens out.

[Lolzeez]

The "MTV" part makes me cringe...

[wasteland]

Now that I think of it, this is probably the one other song I always failed (or avoided) to listen from start to finish. The beginning was enough to revert on better songs, when I was in the discovery phase of my DT experience. It has stayed confortably  in the darkness of ignorance afterwards.

[darkshade]

I like the song. It's one of those DT songs that slipped under my radar and actually didn't get into until years of being into the band. Surrounded by 2 of the 3 worst songs on FII definitely makes it shine better as well.

[ColdFireYYZ]

It's a good song, IMO. The Take The Time reference in the lyrics is pretty cool.

[nicmos]

The "MTV" part makes me cringe...

that rings very true though, don't you think?

It's a good song, IMO. The Take The Time reference in the lyrics is pretty cool.

agreed, they've never done anything else quite like that with a lyric callback.

there is a lot to like about this song.  it's just a little too straightforward to be at the mind-blowing level like DT's best.

[BlobVanDam]

there is a lot to like about this song.  it's just a little too straightforward to be at the mind-blowing level like DT's best.

While I ultimately wouldn't rank this one too highly, I don't think the fact it's straightforward is a problem. There are plenty of simpler songs that I would easily rank over the 10+ minute prog epics. Hell, I'd take These Walls or The Silent Man over BAI or LTL any day of the week.

[adastra]

Great song!
There is this groove in Sherinians playing that you rarely hear from Rudess.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

The "MTV" part makes me cringe...

There are worse lyrics throughout the DT discography.

Just let Me Breathe is a great song, and a great example of a compact song that has a lot of punch, drive and groove. You know, it feels like they didn't write it with that "we gotta have balls, melody and progressive elements olol!" perspective and really went into a "let's write a catchy metal song" that kind of worked for them. I'd love a come back from this song into the set lists.

[?]

James Let Me Brie.

Admit that you stole this from me!

Anyway, has anyone else found it slightly contradictory that MP whines about MTV in the lyrics since Pull Me Under wouldn't have become as popular without the airplay on MTV? Obviously I know the quality of the stuff they've played on that channel since then but isn't it still slightly hypocritical? (Note: My intention isn't to make this a MP-bashing thread, I'm just wondering...)

[TheGreatPretender]

Admit that you stole this from me!

Anyway, has anyone else found it slightly contradictory that MP whines about MTV in the lyrics since Pull Me Under wouldn't have become as popular without the airplay on MTV? Obviously I know the quality of the stuff they've played on that channel since then but isn't it still slightly hypocritical? (Note: My intention isn't to make this a MP-bashing thread, I'm just wondering...)

Well, that begs the question. Would DT have the fanbase that it does without MTV? Personally, Pull Me Under was not the first DT song I heard, and I'd certainly still be their fan even if they never had a hit.

My point is that it's not like "DT is what it is thanks to MTV." And at the time of FII, DT and the whole music industry was in a very different place from where it was in 1992. Plus the fact that the label tried to MTV'fy the album, it's understandable why he'd be bitter about it. And the song does have some very specific references regarding the era, so it's not really saying, "MTV should never have been created" it just says, "MTV sucks NOW." At least that's how I see it.

[BlobVanDam]

James Let Me Brie.

Admit that you stole this from me!

Anyway, has anyone else found it slightly contradictory that MP whines about MTV in the lyrics since Pull Me Under wouldn't have become as popular without the airplay on MTV? Obviously I know the quality of the stuff they've played on that channel since then but isn't it still slightly hypocritical? (Note: My intention isn't to make this a MP-bashing thread, I'm just wondering...)

Given the circumstances of FII, and the shift in the musical landscape between when PMU came out, and when FII came out, I don't believe so.

IaW didn't have so much record company meddling, and PMU was a fairly typical DT track that was a success despite not conforming to mainstream, so DT did that on their own terms. DT found an audience from MTV without doing what was popular.

Then we have FII, where the label was trying to force a more mainstream approach for hits (songs they could play on MTV), which was the cause of frustration for the band, because they weren't able to do things on their own terms, despite the fact that their greatest success as a hit and an album had not been mainstream at all.

The state of music had changed between IaW and FII, and it was much harder to do your own thing without playing by the record label's much more limited rules. It was a problem for many rock bands at the time. PMU was probably close to the borderline of getting MTV airplay in 1992, and I don't think it would have had any chance by 1997.

MTV had changed, music had changed, the record companies had changed, so I don't think the lyrics are criticizing the same MTV that gave them success back with PMU.


edit: And what TheGreatPretender said along similar lines.

[?]

Well, thanks for those good posts, TGP and Blob - I didn't think about it that way!

[ResultsMayVary]

I love this song. Definitely underrated, like you said. But I do hope they play it soon. Just Let Me Breathe and The Glass Prison are both ripe to be jammed on the next tour, since we haven't seen either since 2005/2006.

[Onno]

I kinda like it. It's definitely in my bottom 20 or 10 DT songs, but I still find myself singing along a bit when it comes up in FII.