Discovering "Awake"

[PowerSlave]

I've been a fan since the beggining(since I&W came out if that counts) and have been watching this same argument about KM be rehashed thousands of times. It used to be the same on the official forum and I suppose that it will never change. Some of the things that have been said in these arguments are just plain silly. I think that this is a good example.

PC, I'm not trying to pick on you or start a fight, but I think that you need to realize that each of the guys that have sat behind the keys for this band have brought completely different styles and different feel to the sound of the band. Some people are simply going to prefer what he brought to the equation over what the others have. There doesn't have to be an agenda behind it. It's just an opinion about what is most pleasing to someone's ear.

[hefdaddy42]

I know what you mean, but I honestly stand by what I said and don't think I was out of line.  If Kevin hadn't left Dream Theater, fans would probably have thought differently about Awake.  The controversy surrounding Kevin leaving, the real (or perceived) change in the direction of the band, and how that has brutally divided the fanbase has consequences. People who come online and discover that there's this rift between fans tend to see Awake as the last good DT album before things started going downhill.  If it weren't for the internet fans, people probably wouldn't know the rift was even there and would probably be less inclined to feel that they should have some strong (positive/negative) feelings about Awake.

Or maybe they would just listen to the fucking album and like it better (or worse) than other albums.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

We need someone to power metal cry "Kevin Moooooore" and record it so everytime a KM debate starts, we can just link to it and the infinite failure that ensues will be so great everyone will leave the thread permanently, thus saving them from themselves.

[Perpetual Change]

Or maybe they would just listen to the fucking album and like it better (or worse) than other albums.

I never said people don't do that.  I'm just saying people also get influence by what they read online.  And because I said it in a context that can possibly (but inaccurately) be construed as saying something (remotely) negative about Awake, everyone's bitching out at me.  As soon as I said that, everyone started trying to pigeon hole me when what I'm saying is actually pretty common sense.  Can we please stop talking about this now?

[hefdaddy42]

I didn't think you were saying anything negative about Awake.  But you definitely seemed to be saying something about the fans who prefer Awake over the rest of DT's catalogue.

If that was not your intent, then I apologize for my lack of reading comprehension.

[Perpetual Change]

No, I should have been clearer in my first post.  I really didn't mean "all" fans of Awake.  Your reading comprehension is fine.

(I have a feeling you already know that  )

[hefdaddy42]

No, I should have been clearer in my first post.  I really didn't mean "all" fans of Awake.  Your reading comprehension is fine.

(I have a feeling you already know that  )

[KevShmev]

Perpetual Change, I think you need a hug.

[RazielSR]

 

Well, I just hope that PC knows that I don't give a fuck the KM thing, etc, etc.

I just like Awake, because I consider Awake the best DT album.

I'm not saying that they went downhill,because that's false imho. That's another question and in every band is the same.

I bought all the DT albums some months ago and I'm listening to them step by step, and I came to this conclusion: I think awake is the best DT album. It is that difficult to accept?

[Plasmastrike]

I don't know about you guys, but I like Awake because KM was in the band. I don't even like the music. omgomgomg

[The Letter M]

It was sometime last year that I truly "discovered" Awake. I had had the album for years, but for some reason, it just finally CLICKED with me. I guess because it followed Images And Words, I always put it off as something that probably wasn't as good as IAW was, but after many listens straight-through, the whole album clicked for me. The songs, the flow, the sounds... and none of this KM-debate even mattered. The MUSIC itself clicked with me, and I didn't care about the whole thing behind the band at the time. It was music... so that's what I appreciated.

-Marc.

[Perpetual Change]

Perpetual Change, I think you need a hug.

haha, thanks.  I'm better now, I promise.

[LordCaptainMcKlockenstein]

I don't know about you guys, but I like Awake because KM was in the band. I don't even like the music. omgomgomg

Srsly

I only got into DT because I heard KM was in the band.

[Kyo]

I know what you mean, but I honestly stand by what I said and don't think I was out of line.  If Kevin hadn't left Dream Theater, fans would probably have thought differently about Awake.  The controversy surrounding Kevin leaving, the real (or perceived) change in the direction of the band, and how that has brutally divided the fanbase has consequences. People who come online and discover that there's this rift between fans tend to see Awake as the last good DT album before things started going downhill.  If it weren't for the internet fans, people probably wouldn't know the rift was even there and would probably be less inclined to feel that they should have some strong (positive/negative) feelings about Awake.

I disagree. I thought the keyboardist on Awake sounded bored out of his mind even
before I really knew the band history. I guess one man's "tasteful keyboard parts"
is another man's "generic 'dark' metal synth strings everywhere". Seeing how I
dislike most of the material on the album, I understand Kevin's lack of interest.

Seeing how most songs on Awake don't stray far from the standard verse-chorus
structure (in contrast to the more inventive stuff on I&W) I've always wondered if
the music was deliberately dumbed down to appeal to more listeners or whether the
material was just underdeveloped (maybe due to the lack of interest on behalf of
Kevin). As a follow-up to I&W the album certainly seemed like a step back to me.

[reneranucci]

I don't know about you guys, but I like Awake because KM was in the band. I don't even like the music. omgomgomg

It´s my least favorite album just because KM is on it.

[orcus116]

That's a dumb reason to hate it.

[robwebster]

'Specially given how passive the man was. Awake was largely MP, JP and JM's baby. If you want to dislike an album because Kevin Moore's on it, hate Images and Words!

[BlobVanDam]

'Specially given how passive the man was. Awake was largely MP, JP and JM's baby. If you want to dislike an album because Kevin Moore's on it, hate When Dream and Day Unite!

fixed

[robwebster]

Hahahaha.

Well, yes. That's the easy solution.

[contest_sanity]

If you want to dislike an album because Kevin Moore's on it, hate Images and Words!

If you want to dislike an album because Kevin Moore's on it, hate When Dream and Day Unite!

fixed

or Memory Hole 1.

[7StringedBeast]

Awake is a great album but I believe it has the weakest keyboard parts out of all the DT albums except for ToT. 

[hefdaddy42]

Awake is a great album but I believe it has the weakest keyboard parts out of all the DT albums except for ToT. 

What do you mean, weakest?

[orcus116]

Least flashy (cause we're ignoring the atmospheric component apparently).

[hefdaddy42]

Least flashy (cause we're ignoring the atmospheric component apparently).

That's the only thing I could think of.  I mean, yes, they are less bombastic than on any other DT album, but they are perfectly suited to the songs on Awake.

[7StringedBeast]

I just think they are the least interesting out of all the DT albums.  Again except for ToT.

[Mebert78]

Awake is a great album but I believe it has the weakest keyboard parts out of all the DT albums except for ToT.  

What do you mean, weakest?

I think that's why i like KM's work.  I love keyboards in music, but I like when keyboards aren't in-your-face and are used for atmospheric and subdued purposes.  That was Kevin's forte.  

[Dream Team]

I know what you mean, but I honestly stand by what I said and don't think I was out of line.  If Kevin hadn't left Dream Theater, fans would probably have thought differently about Awake.  The controversy surrounding Kevin leaving, the real (or perceived) change in the direction of the band, and how that has brutally divided the fanbase has consequences. People who come online and discover that there's this rift between fans tend to see Awake as the last good DT album before things started going downhill.  If it weren't for the internet fans, people probably wouldn't know the rift was even there and would probably be less inclined to feel that they should have some strong (positive/negative) feelings about Awake.

I disagree. I thought the keyboardist on Awake sounded bored out of his mind even
before I really knew the band history. I guess one man's "tasteful keyboard parts"
is another man's "generic 'dark' metal synth strings everywhere". Seeing how I
dislike most of the material on the album, I understand Kevin's lack of interest.

Seeing how most songs on Awake don't stray far from the standard verse-chorus
structure (in contrast to the more inventive stuff on I&W) I've always wondered if
the music was deliberately dumbed down to appeal to more listeners or whether the
material was just underdeveloped (maybe due to the lack of interest on behalf of
Kevin). As a follow-up to I&W the album certainly seemed like a step back to me.

Yup. (with exceptions of course; I really like the backing keys in Lifting Shadows and the stuff in the middle of Erotomania)

[austin]

It took me about a year and a half to like/get/appreciate Awake. I love it now. Probably my #3 or so - I feel like there's just a lot of this sortof subtle unity throughout the whole thing in a way the other DT albums overshoot or come up short of

[Joshin U]

EPIC THREAD RESURRECTION

I'm curious as to people's song rankings for Awake.  I think right now, I'd have to go with

1. Voices
2. The Mirror
3. Space-Dye Vest
4. 6:00
5. Erotomania
6. Scarred
7. Lie
8. Cut in a Whale
9. The Silent Man
10. Lifting Shadows
11. Innocence Faded

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

1. Space-Dye Vest

[Zydar]

1. Innocence Faded
2. The Mirror
3. Erotomania
4. The Silent Man
5. Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
6. 6:00
7. Lie
8. Caught In A Web
9. Voices
10. Space-Dye Vest
11. Scarred

[krands85]

I find it really tricky to rank a lot of the songs on Awake. Although the best stuff on the album isn't among my favourite DT tracks, the whole thing is so consistent, it's difficult to order the songs.

1. Voices
2. Scarred
From here on out it gets hard  I'd probably have The Mirror at #3 and TSM & LSOAD down at the bottom I guess, but everything else is really interchangeable.

It's the one album I'd really struggle with when trying to rank the songs.

[Voices]

Really can't rank awake songs. Well, at least I can't...
I admit that I spent some time listening to it to reach the point that it clicked me...after that happened, Awake is one of my favorite albuns from DT.

[Joshin U]

Really can't rank awake songs. Well, at least I can't...
I admit that I spent some time listening to it to reach the point that it clicked me...after that happened, Awake is one of my favorite albuns from DT.

I admit, I'm having some trouble understanding this post 100%   

[puppyonacid]

I got in to DT just before Awake was released.

I vaguely remember hearing that KM had left a little while before ACOS came out. Some of the guys at college were talking about how they'd recruited Yngwies Keys player.

I remember feeling disapointed. I saw KM on the Images tour. I'd never heard such fast unsion type lines and really understood how a keyboard player could be as much a part of the equation as guitarist (I was very young).

I do also remember not completely taking to Derek. In hindsight I really appreciate what he brought to the table and he is a tremendous talent and seems like a really stand up guy.

As far as Awake goes; I loved the contrast to I&W. It was a lot darker but I picked up very quickly at the lack of inyerfaceness from the keys.

I love the TTT and Metropolis fast, fusiony unison parts and they'd just seemed to be left off the table on Awake. Hearing about KM's departure sorta made sense as I do feel that the keys just weren't as relevant as they could have been to the whole album. Much more subdued.

As for who's at the helm keys wise. I couldn't give a hoot as long as his name is Jordan Rudess. Love DS now that I can appreciate the turmoil the band were in at the time and for what he brought to the band. I really love KM's work on I&W. Frankly though, I just don't see how anyone could argue against JR. The man has been part of DT for so long and was vitally involved in two of their greatest albums - Scenes and SDOIT.