Poll

Which release is JLB's best vocally?

Images and Words
37 (45.1%)
Awake
31 (37.8%)
A Change of Seasons
1 (1.2%)
Falling Into Infinity
0 (0%)
Scenes From A Memory
2 (2.4%)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
4 (4.9%)
Train of Thought
0 (0%)
Octavarium
2 (2.4%)
Systematic Chaos
1 (1.2%)
Black Clouds and Silver Linings
1 (1.2%)
A Dramatic Turn of Events
2 (2.4%)
Dream Theater
1 (1.2%)

Total Members Voted: 80

Author Topic: Best JLB Album  (Read 2472 times)

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Offline genome

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Best JLB Album
« on: June 15, 2015, 01:14:00 PM »
I was listening to Six Degrees earlier today and had a funny thought, supposedly this was a time in the band when other members had a "chat" with James and expressed concerns over his vocals (and other things)... but I think his performance on that album was great, it fit the songs perfectly. I think it may be my favourite JLB vocal performance on a DT album.

What's yours?

Offline CharlesPL

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2015, 01:19:41 PM »
Haha We started survivor on Metropolis forum : Dance of Instrumentals.

1st best DT vocal album(WDADU busted for now) and now play-off FII vs ToT.

Vote on Images and Words, 2nd Awake :)

Offline Madman Shepherd

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2015, 01:34:27 PM »
I was listening to Six Degrees earlier today and had a funny thought, supposedly this was a time in the band when other members had a "chat" with James and expressed concerns over his vocals (and other things)... but I think his performance on that album was great, it fit the songs perfectly. I think it may be my favourite JLB vocal performance on a DT album.

What's yours?

I've had this exact same thought!  I'm going to hold off on voting until I've had a chance to think more but I think 6DOIT is one of his best performances.  Granted, his live performances were suffering a little bit at that time but in the studio he was still killing it. 

I think this had to do with the fact that he needed more training to get his voice suited for those 3 hour performances.  When he did that, you can tell he lost a little bit of power in his performance but he was far more consistent. 

I think live he was at his best around ADTOE because he got that power back with the consistency. 

As far as his studio performances I'll have to think but I am inclined right now to go with SDOIT

Offline krands85

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2015, 01:56:27 PM »
Images and Words, no contest for me. I love what he does on that album so much. Even if DT could somehow create another album that was instrumentally on par with I&W, it would still be some way from matching it overall, since James understandably can't sing like that anymore.
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Offline TheCountOfNYC

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2015, 02:17:49 PM »
I voted for Images and Words but Awake is a close second.
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Online TAC

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2015, 02:23:08 PM »
I&W is an all time Top 3 Vocal Performances.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline Cable

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2015, 02:38:32 PM »
I&W. Not the best collection of DT vocal melodies at all IMO, but certainly the one that utilizes JLB's abilities the best in DT.

ToT is second place for me, and probably SFaM 3rd.
---

Offline goo-goo

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2015, 02:59:41 PM »
I think JLB has sung better outside Dream Theater (with the exception of Awake and ACOS imo). Frameshift and Leonardo (even The Human Equation) have shown JLB's capabilities.

 

Offline jakepriest

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2015, 04:03:59 PM »
I am not a fan of JLB's screams and high notes.

Octavarium is where I feel he did his very best when it comes to DT. But overall I prefer him on his solo albums or even Ayreon's "The Human Equation".

Offline Crow

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2015, 04:16:58 PM »
Awake, mostly because there's more rougher vocals on that one than I&W, it's way more dynamic. Both I&W and Awake are monumental vocal performances though.

Offline JayOctavarium

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2015, 05:10:30 PM »
Awake is the only correct answer.
I just don't understand what they were trying to achieve with any part of the song, either individually or as a whole. You know what? It's the Platypus of Dream Theater songs. That bill doesn't go with that tail, or that strange little furry body, or those webbed feet, and oh god why does it have venomous spurs!? And then you find out it lays eggs too. The difference is that the Platypus is somehow functional despite being a crazy mishmash or leftover animal pieces

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Offline RaiseTheKnife

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2015, 07:01:55 PM »
Elements of Persuasion.

Offline JayOctavarium

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2015, 07:11:13 PM »
Elements of Persuasion.


iseewhatyoudidthere
I just don't understand what they were trying to achieve with any part of the song, either individually or as a whole. You know what? It's the Platypus of Dream Theater songs. That bill doesn't go with that tail, or that strange little furry body, or those webbed feet, and oh god why does it have venomous spurs!? And then you find out it lays eggs too. The difference is that the Platypus is somehow functional despite being a crazy mishmash or leftover animal pieces

-BlobVanDam on "Scarred"

Offline ThatOneGuy2112

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2015, 11:10:48 PM »
The Human Equation

Offline erwinrafael

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2015, 11:38:08 PM »
Awake. Nothing comes close in terms of range, power, and emotion.

SDOIT is second, because of the versatility.

Offline Mladen

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2015, 11:01:31 AM »
Awake

I'll go out on a limb and say the last two are right behind. He's also great on Images and words, but there isn't as much diversity in his vocals as on some other albums. You can tell it was his first with the band.

Offline ReaPsTA

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2015, 12:13:25 AM »
Awake.  I can't think of another album where the singer goes for so many vocal styles and so many different emotions and nails all of them.

His vocal chord injury is one of the great underrated musical tragedies.
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Over and over again

Offline Nearmyth

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2015, 12:35:07 AM »
Awake

Images And Words for simple skill, probably. But on that album he's either belting or whispering with no in between. Awake wins for the many styles, atmospheres, and dynamics that he puts on his voice.
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Offline erwinrafael

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2015, 01:56:07 AM »
Awake

Images And Words for simple skill, probably. But on that album he's either belting or whispering with no in between. Awake wins for the many styles, atmospheres, and dynamics that he puts on his voice.

I can't believe the number of votes Images and Words is getting for JLB's vocal performance. But hey, it must be the Images and Words effect.  :lol

I would treasure the next ten years. I think with his vocal style, JLB may have only three to five good albums left. I don't know how he can sustain his style by the time he hit 60.

Offline Dream Team

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2015, 08:39:39 AM »
Awake

Images And Words for simple skill, probably. But on that album he's either belting or whispering with no in between. Awake wins for the many styles, atmospheres, and dynamics that he puts on his voice.

I can't believe the number of votes Images and Words is getting for JLB's vocal performance. But hey, it must be the Images and Words effect.  :lol

I would treasure the next ten years. I think with his vocal style, JLB may have only three to five good albums left. I don't know how he can sustain his style by the time he hit 60.

Right, because the vocals actually aren't any good on it . . .  ::)

Offline erwinrafael

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #20 on: June 17, 2015, 08:59:01 AM »
Awake

Images And Words for simple skill, probably. But on that album he's either belting or whispering with no in between. Awake wins for the many styles, atmospheres, and dynamics that he puts on his voice.

I can't believe the number of votes Images and Words is getting for JLB's vocal performance. But hey, it must be the Images and Words effect.  :lol

I would treasure the next ten years. I think with his vocal style, JLB may have only three to five good albums left. I don't know how he can sustain his style by the time he hit 60.

Right, because the vocals actually aren't any good on it . . .  ::)

I never said that. The vocals there are good but it is not the best in the discography because a lot of it is a display of range but there is not much variety.

Offline LCArenas

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #21 on: June 22, 2015, 08:07:43 PM »
Images, without a doubt. Awake is amazing too, but it didn't blow my mind as much as I&W did. JLB was a great singer to me, but that album and Live in Tokyo made me start to see him as one of my idols and favorite singers.

Offline jammindude

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2015, 10:41:34 PM »
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Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #23 on: June 23, 2015, 10:44:45 PM »
I never said that. The vocals there are good but it is not the best in the discography because a lot of it is a display of range but there is not much variety.

DTF disagrees.
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Offline jjrock88

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #24 on: June 24, 2015, 01:04:33 AM »
I&W

Online Zydar

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #25 on: June 24, 2015, 01:07:42 AM »
I voted for Images and Words but Awake is a close second.
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Offline SkiFiX

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #26 on: June 24, 2015, 05:01:15 AM »
Obviously I&W and Awake. But i voted for a Dramatic turn of events because for me is the third rebirth of James' Voice.
So much touching vocals on that album. Breaking all illusions, Far from heaven (!!!), Beneath the surface, this is the life...

Offline Train of Naught

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #27 on: June 24, 2015, 08:00:31 AM »
Obviously I&W and Awake. But i voted for a Dramatic turn of events because for me is the third rebirth of James' Voice.
So much touching vocals on that album. Breaking all illusions, Far from heaven (!!!), Beneath the surface, this is the life...
Yeah, definitely in my top 3 aswell, maybe even above Awake on my list, but seeing the amount of votes on ADTOE I probably should've voted for ADTOE instead of IAW.
people on this board are actual music fans who developed taste in music and not casual listeners who are following current fashion trends and listening to only current commercial hits.

Offline emtee

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #28 on: June 24, 2015, 08:11:39 AM »
As far as DT albums I'm in agreement with the majority. Awake is #1 and I&W is #2 but I actually think his best recorded vocal
performances are on his solo albums. That music is written more specific to his strengths.

Offline OsMosis2259

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #29 on: June 24, 2015, 08:49:34 AM »
As far as technical skill, I&W and Awake come to mind so I went with I&W.

I really like his voice in ADTOE and Octavarium though. He stays in a comfortable range and the melodies are very strong.

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #30 on: June 24, 2015, 10:03:11 AM »
Impermanent Resonance ;D

Online SeRoX

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #31 on: June 24, 2015, 11:58:15 AM »
I'd say Winter Rose and Awake. Man, what a lung. But in terms of technical ability I'd say SDoIT and Octavarium. And Frameshift is just a hidden star.
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Offline erwinrafael

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #32 on: June 24, 2015, 08:20:07 PM »
I never said that. The vocals there are good but it is not the best in the discography because a lot of it is a display of range but there is not much variety.

DTF disagrees.

Well, yeah, Images and Words wins in any poll in this forum. It's the Images and Words effect.  :lol

Offline SkiFiX

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #33 on: June 25, 2015, 03:08:21 AM »
And Frameshift is just a hidden star.

Offline jjrock88

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Re: Best JLB Album
« Reply #34 on: June 25, 2015, 03:34:11 AM »
Awake would be second place for me