*Official* The Astonishing discussion thread

[?]

I mean I read one theory that they are playing I&W instead of TA because TA is not going over well. Yikes. C'mon !

I'm not one of the "lol asstonishing sucks" haters, but I can't help thinking that the mediocre attendances on the 2nd US leg affected their plans, because in early October JP posted this video, where he said European and Asian fans would get one more chance to see TA live next year. Clearly the band had intended to add more dates, but for one reason or another we're getting the I&W tour instead.

For me the main problem with the album is that there's plenty of good stuff in act 1, but the music gets pretty uninteresting in the second act, which is supposed to be the climax of the story. I might forgive this if the album was short enough, but the 130-minute length doesn't make me want to revisit it, and unfortunately even the individual good tracks don't get a lot of plays from me, because they don't work that well out of context. Props to DT for going outside their comfort zone, but the result just doesn't do it for me.

[cramx3]

unfortunately even the individual good tracks don't get a lot of plays from me, because they don't work that well out of context.

I find that listening to the songs in "pods" works better because I agree, a lot of the songs aren't as good stand alone given the short nature of most tracks, plus the storytelling.  But if you bundle a couple tracks together, it makes for a nice listening IMO.

examples:

Lord Nafaryus - A Savior in the Square - When Your Time has Come
A Life Left Behind - Ravenskill - Chosen
Heaven's Cove - Begin Again - The Path that Divides

[TAC]

I mean I read one theory that they are playing I&W instead of TA because TA is not going over well. Yikes. C'mon !

I'm not one of the "lol asstonishing sucks" haters, but I can't help thinking that the mediocre attendances on the 2nd US leg affected their plans, because in early October JP posted this video, where he said European and Asian fans would get one more chance to see TA live next year. Clearly the band had intended to add more dates, but for one reason or another we're getting the I&W tour instead.

 

OK, Thank you. Shame on me for not doing my homework on it. I guess there's been such a stream of negativity lately.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Quite simply, The Astonishing was a bust!

Not by any realistic standard.  Sorry, but you could not be more wrong.

Between the bitching and linking of JLB performances, to a new negative thread about the novel, to comments about how unpopular the albums is, it's all just really tiring. While I understand it's critiques, personally I like the album, but there seems to be a handful of folks here that just can't get past it for some reason.

At this point, EVERY album seems to divide the fans. Discussion is one thing, but there's a constant "nagging" going on. I mean I read one theory that they are playing I&W instead of TA because TA is not going over well. Yikes. C'mon ! Let it go folks, and maybe you'll like the next album. Meanwhile TA is almost a year old and the repointing out of every wart it has is just plain exhausting.

Thanks for posting this. I agree. Some of the recent complaints seemed to be piling it on a little. Remember to always keep it seasoned, people!

[cramx3]

Quite simply, The Astonishing was a bust!

Not by any realistic standard.  Sorry, but you could not be more wrong.

Between the bitching and linking of JLB performances, to a new negative thread about the novel, to comments about how unpopular the albums is, it's all just really tiring. While I understand it's critiques, personally I like the album, but there seems to be a handful of folks here that just can't get past it for some reason.

At this point, EVERY album seems to divide the fans. Discussion is one thing, but there's a constant "nagging" going on. I mean I read one theory that they are playing I&W instead of TA because TA is not going over well. Yikes. C'mon ! Let it go folks, and maybe you'll like the next album. Meanwhile TA is almost a year old and the repointing out of every wart it has is just plain exhausting.

Thanks for posting this. I agree. Some of the recent complaints seemed to be piling it on a little. Remember to always keep it seasoned, people!

I agree for the most part as well.  TA hit #11 on the billboard charts, that alone to me shows it's not a bust.  But I do believe the 2nd round of TA shows in NA were a bust and I won't say that I&W tour is directly due to that, but I can't help but believe that DT as a band feel they need to do something to gather more positive attention following a poor fan turnout on that second leg.

[Bertielee]

Quite simply, The Astonishing was a bust!

Not by any realistic standard.  Sorry, but you could not be more wrong.

Between the bitching and linking of JLB performances, to a new negative thread about the novel, to comments about how unpopular the albums is, it's all just really tiring. While I understand it's critiques, personally I like the album, but there seems to be a handful of folks here that just can't get past it for some reason.

At this point, EVERY album seems to divide the fans. Discussion is one thing, but there's a constant "nagging" going on. I mean I read one theory that they are playing I&W instead of TA because TA is not going over well. Yikes. C'mon ! Let it go folks, and maybe you'll like the next album. Meanwhile TA is almost a year old and the repointing out of every wart it has is just plain exhausting.

Thanks for posting this. I agree. Some of the recent complaints seemed to be piling it on a little. Remember to always keep it seasoned, people!

I agree for the most part as well.  TA hit #11 on the billboard charts, that alone to me shows it's not a bust.  But I do believe the 2nd round of TA shows in NA were a bust and I won't say that I&W tour is directly due to that, but I can't help but believe that DT as a band feel they need to do something to gather more positive attention following a poor fan turnout on that second leg.

I personally think the 2nd leg of TA was kind of a  mistake and that they could have gone directly with the I&W anniversary tour. But it's just me.

B.Lee

[Jester]

Bad news.  Doctor told me I had to cut cheese out of my diet.  So long The Astonishing.   

[red barchetta]

Bad news.  Doctor told me I had to cut cheese out of my diet.  So long The Astonishing.   

[Azyiu]

Bad news.  Doctor told me I had to cut cheese out of my diet.  So long The Astonishing.   

OMG     

[dparrott]

So TA gets no noms for grammy awards.  Wow.       

[fadetoblackdude7]

Creativity and ambition get ignored, big surprise.

[Bertielee]

As if they would get a Grammy one day anyway.....

B.Lee

[gmillerdrake]

poor fan turnout on that second leg.

I really don't see it as poor turnout. If you look strictly at the numbers then sure...each venue was 1/2 to around 3/4 full depending on where they were at. BUT...they added a TON of cities to the tour. They played St. Louis this tour which they hadn't done since 2004 which immediately negated my brother and two other buddies who usually road trip to see them not to go. I have a suspicion that the fact they played more venues dotted across the country that allowed people maybe not to have to travel to them affected attendance at each venue.

It seems to me they made the choice to play to more 1/2 full crowds in lieu of limited 3/4 to full crowds. It's already been pointed out about the equipment and production of the show and that when they were done with TA tour that was it for the foreseeable future....so it looks like to me they played as many venues as they could without really caring how it'd affect attendance.

[hefdaddy42]

We had a good crowd at the last show of the tour in Durham, NC.

[Thematt202]

Almost a year down the line and the newness has definitely worn off.  I still stand by my opinion that this is the best thing they've ever released.  It's not perfect, but it has more chills down the spine moments than any other album I've ever listened to. 

I'm actually gutted that the fan reaction will probably mean that we won't get anything like this again.

[chaotic_ripper]

Almost a year down the line and the newness has definitely worn off.  I still stand by my opinion that this is the best thing they've ever released.  It's not perfect, but it has more chills down the spine moments than any other album I've ever listened to. 

I'm actually gutted that the fan reaction will probably mean that we won't get anything like this again.

I agree with all of this! I guess I can see why so many fans may not feel the same way.  The downside to DT being so varied in their music, is that the fans are varied also. They will never be able to please everyone. But in my opinion it is their greatest work and I'm still finding new moments that I'm loving even more!

[MirrorMask]

I'm actually gutted that the fan reaction will probably mean that we won't get anything like this again.

Well, when everyone fell down on their knees and praised SFAM they did their most experimental and diverse album following it up, never doing a concept album again until now, so even if The Astonishing would have been received with worldwide praise I doubt the next album would have been another concept or rock opera anyway.

[Kotowboy]

Idea for DT14 :

Everyone in the band - all 5 members - write an album of their own songs. They then take the best songs - not necessarily an equal amount of each - just the best songs overall.

Petrucci pretty much wrote The Astonishing on his own [with Rudess also composing] - but JP came up with the idea and the characters and story and ALL the lyrics.

And it was a double album. He probably wouldn't mind doing less next time.

[noxon]

I don't think that type of album would sound like a DT album.

[Madman Shepherd]

Idea for DT14 :

Everyone in the band - all 5 members - write an album of their own songs. They then take the best songs - not necessarily an equal amount of each - just the best songs overall.

Petrucci pretty much wrote The Astonishing on his own [with Rudess also composing] - but JP came up with the idea and the characters and story and ALL the lyrics.

And it was a double album. He probably wouldn't mind doing less next time.

I don't think JP is willing to give up that much control.  Someone said, "I think DT is JP's solo project."  It's funny because I was just watching a Genesis documentary and someone said that about Tony Banks, that Genesis is his solo project. 

In both instances, other members contribute but on most solo project other band member contribute a lot, but in the end, you do need to have a clear leader.  Even though Mike Rutherford contributes a lot to Genesis and back in the day Peter Gabriel did too, Tony was sort of the gatekeeper. 

I think in many ways that is true for JP, at least for these last 3 albums or you could argue many before it, too. 

[erwinrafael]

Listening to The Astonishing again to cap off 2016.

Wow, Myung's bass playing is superb. That's how you play bass with all the layered orchestration of numerous instruments.

[Ben_Jamin]

Listening to The Astonishing again to cap off 2016.

Wow, Myung's bass playing is superb. That's how you play bass with all the layered orchestration of numerous instruments.

That's what gets me with people saying Myung isn't heard. It's like, do you have ears? His bass playing is amazing in this album. Just because it's not in your face, like guitar and vocals, doesn't mean it doesn't contribute.

[gzarruk]

TA is one of their best imo. I rank it number 3 after SFAM and SDOIT.

[hefdaddy42]

Almost a year down the line and the newness has definitely worn off.  I still stand by my opinion that this is the best thing they've ever released.  It's not perfect, but it has more chills down the spine moments than any other album I've ever listened to. 

I'm actually gutted that the fan reaction will probably mean that we won't get anything like this again.

Well, I also think it was fantastic, but I wouldn't want anything like this again.

[Kotowboy]

I don't think that type of album would sound like a DT album.

God forbid they sound different on their Fourteenth album...

[Lethean]

Almost a year down the line and the newness has definitely worn off.  I still stand by my opinion that this is the best thing they've ever released.  It's not perfect, but it has more chills down the spine moments than any other album I've ever listened to. 

I'm actually gutted that the fan reaction will probably mean that we won't get anything like this again.

I agree with all of this! I guess I can see why so many fans may not feel the same way.  The downside to DT being so varied in their music, is that the fans are varied also. They will never be able to please everyone. But in my opinion it is their greatest work and I'm still finding new moments that I'm loving even more!

Just want to chime in with my love for The Astonishing as well. Earlier in the year I thought it's appeal might wear off or fade, but it never did. Such a beautiful album and I still find myself reaching for it time and time again.

[SwedishGoose]

It's amazing that they could create such a different and excellent album so late in their carreer... my favorite DT album

[Mladen]

I don't think that type of album would sound like a DT album.

It doesn't have to, though.

[dtvoices94]

Album of the year for me.  Saw it live twice and still haven't gotten tired of listening to it.

[Stewie]

I'm very, very pleased with this album. It has been a total trip to listen to.

[fadetoblackdude7]

One of the best DT albums, probably ranks 4th or 5th for me. Also one of my favorite albums of the year, along with the new Metallica and Thrice

[CB]

At the moment TA is one of my top 3 DT albums, together with SFAM and ADTOE. My favorites always change but I'm sure TA will always rank very high. It's also my favorite Prog/Metal album of 2016 (Fates Warning and Neal Morse 2nd). I have some small problems with parts of the story of TA, but the music and the way the band presented it on the album and live made up for that 200%. Still disappointed they didn't film it (yet).

[Kotowboy]

i thought about getting The Astonishing on Vinyl but it's like £50+ brand new.

[Anguyen92]

Well, re-listening to the Astonishing (this is probably the 3rd time that I've listened to it in full, aside from hearing the songs as their own from time to time,) and it holds up well.  I'm approaching Hymn of a Thousand Voices and I'm re-reading the concept of The Astonishing on, yes, Wikipedia and I actually shed a bit of a tear now regarding the whole people in the town coming together and singing which led to Gabriel regaining his ability to sing and bring Faythe back to life. 

The power of music is a powerful tool indeed.  So, if there's one thing that I'm glad Dream Theater brought with this album, is their ability to tell a story about how great music can be and the obstacles it goes through to be presented in its purest form, but present it in their own way through a fictional story.

[Kotowboy]

Even if The Astonishing was terrible - i'd rather they took a risk once in a while instead of putting out safe album after safe album.