Author Topic: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this  (Read 3867 times)

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Offline Skeever

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #35 on: December 03, 2014, 04:39:25 AM »
Ah, another thread accusing DT of not being "adventurous" or "interesting" because they do perfectly conform to a specific fan's personal tastes.  The presumptuousness and rudeness of people never ceases to amaze me.

That's not being rude in any way.
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Offline The Stray Seed

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #36 on: December 04, 2014, 03:48:23 AM »
Thinking of "overplaying"...

I guess it's just like the baroque elements in art. I mean... you can create a work of art that is very essential and elegant - or you can create something complex that boasts a lot of decorative elements. Liking this or that has a lot to do with personal taste and artistic background. And obviously on the outcome of the work itself, or I'd better say: on how we perceive that outcome. I usually hear people say: this is good - this is bad, in a very strict way. The fact that you think it is, doesn't make it true for the rest of the world.

Based on my background and taste, I can sense or perceive something that you don't feel or would underestimate. Something that can kindle my perception of that piece of music, as when we say that something "clicks with us".

Jordan is a gifted artist, and as any smart person would do, he tries to make the best with his skills (that are impressive to say the least). Sometimes he plays 10000000 notes per second, sometimes he plays slow and with feel. I don't feel that any of this two ways of playing are not expressed to the best in DT music, as much as I don't feel that they don't fit DT's style, which is sooo eclectic and varied.

I was a little worried that long - crazy instrumental were overused by the band (for my personal taste), but this was before DT12 came out. I feel the album has a great, strong balance between all aspects of DT's music. There is only one thing that I think it lacks: experimentation (but I would like to point out that - as some of you have said in previous posts - I do believe that "progressive metal" defines a genre with specific features that doesn't necessarily need to be always experimental).

But experimentation is not for all albums. I think they've played it - quite - safe with these two albums, and I see why they did so, as one was the first of MM's era, and the latter was the self titled. But now I feel it's time to move on and dare a little more; I have high expectations on the next album from an experimental point of view. And I think Jordan might (and has to) play a lead role in this, for his abilities and for his astounding proficiency in latest music technologies.

Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #37 on: December 04, 2014, 07:04:52 AM »
See, I don't expect much real experimentation.  Other than Six Degrees, they've never really done much experimentation on an album.  They do what they do, and they do it better than virtually anyone else who does what they do, but they don't do much else.
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Offline TheGreatPretender

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #38 on: December 04, 2014, 07:39:41 AM »
Honestly, considering that people praise their early albums so much for being so "experimental" I think a lot of that was outside influence. I mean, yes, we know that they were specifically told by the label that FII should just be crammed with "potential singles" and were forced into a more radio friendly direction, which was what gave it its distinct sound. But just because it was so harsh and forceful for that particular album doesn't mean that wasn't the case for their other albums too.
While they had relative freedom on Awake, there was still some pressure for them to make singles, as well as a general push to go in a heavier direction. The only difference between that and FII is that with Awake, they didn't end up getting half of their songs flat out rejected.
Everything that came before, WDADU and I&W, that wasn't "experimentation" that was just the band developing and discovering their style, and their style is incredibly unique, even 30 years later.
I think the kind of experimentation and the things that were so unique and different about Awake and FII were a fluke, a result of outside tampering that really, the band never wanted in the first place.

As for SDOIT, the only reason I think THAT comes off as so experimental was because it was the first album that they created compeltely from scratch with Rudess, and it was his style that really poured through on it.

That's just how it comes off to me, honestly. The only instance where they CONSIDERED being truly experimental for the sheer sake of being experimental was before SDOIT when they were planning to make that album where different songs were about different cultures, and would stylistically have influences of those cultures in them. But that idea got scrapped, for better or for worse.
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Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #39 on: December 04, 2014, 08:02:02 AM »
As for SDOIT, the only reason I think THAT comes off as so experimental was because it was the first album that they created compeltely from scratch with Rudess, and it was his style that really poured through on it.
No, they were more experimental with recording techniques and songwriting/structures.  It's not just because of Rudess, he was just there when they did it.

And their original idea for that album was even MORE experimental, with all of the "world music" influences they were intending to bring to bear.
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Offline TheGreatPretender

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #40 on: December 04, 2014, 08:10:31 AM »
Yeah, but I think they've always tried different structural things. I mean, sure, there are certain unusual song structures that are specifically consistent within DT in particular, but I mean, if we're talking purely about song structures then it has been said before that the structure of Illumination Theory is something they've never really done before. Like it or not, it is something different for them. But I mean, there are still only so many ways they can rearrange the "heavy section, wanky section, verse, chorus, acoustic section," etc. before they run out of combinations.

When talking about experimental, I usually think of the stylistic influences of their sound, rather than their structure or recording techniques.

What were the experimental recording techniques of SDOIT that you speak of though?
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Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #41 on: December 04, 2014, 08:24:50 AM »
Didn't JP play one of his solos backward? I can't remember what song that was.

Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #42 on: December 04, 2014, 08:27:41 AM »
Didn't JP play one of his solos backward? I can't remember what song that was.

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Online Zydar

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #43 on: December 04, 2014, 08:29:29 AM »
Didn't JP play one of his solos backward? I can't remember what song that was.

Misunderstood?

No I think he got it right. He did play it backwards.



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Offline TheGreatPretender

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Re: Yes, i actually think DT should explore stuff like this
« Reply #44 on: December 04, 2014, 08:29:51 AM »
Didn't JP play one of his solos backward? I can't remember what song that was.

Misunderstood?

Oh yeah, he wrote the solo, then reversed it, learned how to play it backwards, then played it backwards and reversed it again, so it was the way it was written, but played backwards.
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