Scenes From My Memory v. Honor Thy Father

[Indiscipline]

In the truest spirit of sequel etiquette, I wished – but failed - to give this tune the Metropolis Pt1 twenty timestamps treatment. While seven years ago it felt like it wasn't enough to do the song justice, this time it felt like padding, or "waffling" (only brit readers will get that) the entry.

Given scope, centerpiece narrative positioning, callback opportunities and sheer duration, Home is probably – pound for pound – the laziest composition in the whole album. Nonetheless, it provides us with this tragic tale's missing character, giving a well deserved boost to the ongoing italics crackpot subplot. I can see you brimming with enthusiasm.


08 – Home:

0:00 – 0:37: We're definitely in the FII realm of great atmospheric intros here. Fun fact: until the very moment the sitarish chord strikes, the acoustic guitar melody behaves exactly like SDV intro's piano chord voicings.

FII, Awake, KM's swan song. We may be onto something ...

0:37 – 1:44: Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place where the caravan camels roam... Sorry, couldn't help it.

1:44 – 2:05: The WOMP WOMP made me quit the habit of resting my drinks on the subwoofer. Brilliant sound, really. Also, My mind is clearer now, at last all too well ... Sorry, couldn't help it.

2:05 – 2:27: To put this riff's staying power in perspective, let's just say that EVERYTIME I've happened to jam on phrygian dominat in the last 20 years, my fingers have subconsciously used it.

2:27 – 3:22: Instead of foolishly quoting RATM, I'm leaving the stage to my Valonqar:

Thanks. Julian is Old Moses at daybreak on the bottom of the Lake of fire, doing lines on The Mirror. A Mind Besides Itself dripping desire, confined in a Web and overtired by staying Awake at 6:00.

3:22 – 4:05: You see? It moves, but musically it stays still. The ascending crazy pre-chorus guitar flurry is a nice call back to Pull Me Under though.

Old Moses finally realises Awake's heavy and raspy posturing are nothing but a charade. Metropolis is home, he longs for the city he listened to and whose violence he witnessed while learning to live. He can't be the one who will killed poor Shirley.

4:05 – 5:17: Light to dark, dark to light. Half Metropolis chorus, half Home chorus. Half Metropolis riff, half Home riff. Big James in top shape. Something miracolous must have happened since FII.

5:17 – 7:19: Basically copy and paste, except for Mighty Mike's work. The drums are really taking great pains to underscore the change of character.

Here we go. The Miracle is the shot  at money, notoriety, commercial success. Old Moses made Shirley dirty and grittier, but he didn't steal her soul. Edward needs to deceive and betray everyone and everything in order to own Shirley's spirit. He's definitely FII. What did we call that album again? Yeah, Two Morons. How appropriate.

7:19 – 8:40: I get it, someone's playing craps while someone else is focking. Did we need 90 boring seconds to accomplish that? Why not pulling a The Who with I Can See For Miles ("cello cello cello ...") and going "Crapshoot Banging Crapshoot ..."?

The story, in a nutshell: Awake was a crapshoot, FII focked I&W raw.

8:40 – 9:22: I can't get over this solo's dualism. Musically and technically it's as bold and falmboyant as you can get, while its sound is completely devoid of personality. It's like a Eddie Murphy routine spoken by Tim Duncan.

9:22 – 10:23: Ok, it's contagious. One minute of impossible virtuosity expressed in a very forgettable tone.

10:23 – 11:44: Almost twelve minutes in roughly the same key and time signature. It must be some kind of record.

There's no focking mystery to your condition, dear Kevolas. Your choice made Awake what it is and led to that incredible songwriting regression/identity crisis/integrity loss that is FII. You've been hired to solve a murder you committed, Angel Heart style.

11:44 – 12:50: My favourite part of the song. The way a note is added at every time change/break is a masterpiece in progressive thinking.


Before I wrap this up, I'd like to celebrate a significant part of this thread turning 50. Bottoms up!

Coming Next: The Dance of Eternity (aka Edward and Victoria made a porno)

[Dream Team]

That's a bit harsh man, I love those solos.

[Indiscipline]

Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.

As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*

[Dream Team]

Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.

As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*

Ha ha, gotcha. Dane of Eternity write-up should be interesting.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.

As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*

Sorry to derail the topic, but this reminded me of the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYOHzAAwaW4

Thought you might appreciate it.

[Indiscipline]

I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.

[bosk1]

Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.

As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*

Ha ha, gotcha. Dane of Eternity write-up should be interesting.

Oh, we live eternally! 
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark! 
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark! 
Where it's eternally dark!

[Sebastián Pratesi]

I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.

I hope that's not Mitchell-esque sarcasm!

Either way: I've enjoyed the one or two posts of yours I've read so far here, so I'm going to read the whole of the thread this weekend.

[lucasembarbosa]

I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.

I hope that's not Mitchell-esque sarcasm!

Either way: I've enjoyed the one or two posts of yours I've read so far here, so I'm going to read the whole of the thread this weekend.

...and we've got another soldier trapped.

[bosk1]

BWAHAHAHAHA!  We shall feast on his bones!

...um...figuratively, of course.

[Indiscipline]

I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.

I hope that's not Mitchell-esque sarcasm!

I was absolutely being serious. That kind of humour is this thread's lifestream.

Either way: I've enjoyed the one or two posts of yours I've read so far here, so I'm going to read the whole of the thread this weekend.

That's courage. I have to warn you: constant exposure to this thread may cause - even in otherwise functional subjects -  random episodes of campy brilliance such as:

Oh, we live eternally! 
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark! 
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark! 
Where it's eternally dark!

...and we've got another soldier trapped.

".... And we will all go down togeeeeeeetheeeeeer!"

[bosk1]

That's courage. I have to warn you: constant exposure to this thread may cause - even in otherwise functional subjects -  random episodes of campy brilliance such as:

Oh, we live eternally! 
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark! 
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark! 
Where it's eternally dark!

Well, now, see, that's funny because he said "the Dane of Eternity." 

[Indiscipline]

I'm aware of that. It doesn't make it any less campy brilliant!

[TAC]

I can't believe you just made me listen to Home.

A couple things...

I don't know the caravan camels reference. The Mind Is Clearer sounds familiar but can't place it.

WTF is a phrygian dominat?


Appreciate the bottoms up!

[Sebastián Pratesi]

Ah! This seems like it's going to be my cup of tea then!

[Indiscipline]

I can't believe you just made me listen to Home.

A couple things...

I don't know the caravan camels reference. The Mind Is Clearer sounds familiar but can't place it.

WTF is a phrygian dominat?


Appreciate the bottoms up!

Arabian Nights from Aladdin
Heaven on Their Minds from JC Superstar
A scale/mode

My pleasure, buddy.

[Indiscipline]

Pffft, like I'm neglecting this just because I'm running a roulette ... Who are you taking me for, a seven years disappearing act?

Oh, Ok.

Anyways, I've already described my Home/TDoE Integration Theory in the Controversial Opinions thread, hence I'm saving you all fine gentlemen from the tedium. What to do then? Well, let's let my italics counterpart translate the song into an Edward-Victoria sexual intercourse play-by-play, and let's try to do it without getting Bosk fired at work and yours truly tied, quartered & banned. I need some Molinari (shout out to my Ryder boy!) laser precision here.

09: The Dance of Eternity:

0:00 – 0:31: The bass is a boiling cauldron. In fact, that's what this intro is suggesting: a magical concoction mixing this album's first riff with distant fragrances from Metropolis. But mainly, the bass is a motherfocking boiling cauldron.

"Come inside, dear."

"Oh, Ned, your bedroom smells funny."

"I'm a Senator. Lots of parties I will deny have ever happened in here ..."

0:31 – 0:44: This sounds like a warning: "we're gonna take you for a stroll on atonal avenue" or, better yet, "we're in the ballpark of the madness going on after you heard the third arrives seven years ago". Challenge accepted.

"Let me help you off your coat, dear"

"Thanks ... Oy, how in the hell are you already naked and ready?"

"They call me The Miracle, baby."

0:44 – 1:17: This is LTE music with a bit more of studio time. It's taking me out of the story and straight into my usual "let's listen to impossible shit in awe" office. That's generally a pretty enjoyable place, but not really where I want to be while I'm wondering who banged Victoria.

"Oh, Ned, what is that?"

"Poor naive girl, is it the first time you see one? I guess you don't even know the name for it"

"I'd say it's like a cock, but incredibly smaller..."

1:17 – 1:19: Nice touch, Jordan. I guess you've taken care of Derek's comparisons with this great take on LitS's fusion piano breaks.

"... Ned, why are you crying?"

"..."

1:19 – 1:29: I've been waiting for that since track 01. You can't spell Metropolis without that lick.

"Oh, I see, you must love your brother very much"

"Not right now, I really don't"

1:29 – 2:05: I am convinced Mighty Mike has personally written this segment on the drums and the actual notes have been added as a logical necessity. Four albums and one EP in, this is his absolute zenith.

"What the fock is that, girl?"

"A shawl-corset-knickers lingerie complete. No visible skin, it's 1928!"

"No wonder we're calling it the Great Depression"

2:05 – 2:32: I'm staying on Mike here because, c'mon, this is his song. Please forgive the paradox and its implications, but don't you think he's playing in a very Manginiesque way of underlining the riffs here?

"What do you mean you won't do that, Vic? Are you pulling a Meat Loaf?"

"1928 Prohibitionism, Ned. Nil by mouth."

"Will you when I'm President?"

2:32 – 2:48: Say what you will, I focking love this odd bit and its placement. Still, I always wonder why people insist to call this "the ragtime section". Ragtime is a slow business (Scott Joplin used to write on his sheet music: "I beg you, play it slowly"), this is dixieland.

"You like this young music, dear? Does it make you horny?"

"Yeah. Is it Winger?"

2:48 – 3:07: KevMo/JP original unison runs upstaged. The slate is clean now.

"You like it, don't you? You watching and thoughtfully smiling little bitch?"

"Ned, I hate to tell you this, but you're focking my corset's buttonhole."

3:07 – 3:20: A blizzard of badass bass, Master Myung. I'd like to play this bit slowed down ten times and discover it's actually the whole Cliff's Anesthesia compressed.

"You like it now, don't you? You snitching reincarnating dream haunting little whore?"

"Oh, you in now?"

3:20 – 4:32: I can be led to believe this is played on the drums by a single human being, I even can be led to believe the snare is not a playback track, but I will never believe there is a way of focking keeping the count playing this live. Never. I feel like I've just witnessed the laws of nature suspending themselves for a whole minute.

"Oh, Victoria, I want to spend the rest of my life making love to you!"

"Cool. You going to actually start that anytime now?"

4:32 – 5:13: We're in full blown Sun Ra For Rock Band territory here. I need a live show to be absolutely sure this isn't aleatory composing.

"Turn around!"

"Every now and then a get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round?"

"I said turn around!"

"Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears?"

"What the fock, Victoria!"

"Ha! That was my Bonnie Tyler ass preserver."

5:13 – 5:55: I can't take this anymore. There comes a point I'm tired of being amazed and need some sort of musical release, especially on an instrumental. Please drop the math display and give me something a mortal can immediately chew. Even swine can get tired of too many pearls I guess.

"What the fock, Ned!"

"Sorry, I misinterpreted Through Her Eyes"

5:55 – 6:13: RUSH? REALLY? THIS IS ALL THAT BUILDUP'S PAYOFF?

Focking brilliant, actually.

"That's it?"

"Yes, girl. Did you think the very last dance would have lasted forever?"

"No, but neither fifty seconds"


Coming Next (after prosecution): 10: One Last Time

[Podaar]

"What the fock, Ned!"

"Sorry, I misinterpreted Through Her Eyes"

[Dream Team]

Agreed 100% on the kudos for MP. Amazing stuff.

[Bentower]

0:00 – 0:31:
"Come inside, dear."

That was quick.

Brilliant*ahem*entry!


Not to steal any thunder, dear Indiscipline, but also not knowing if this has made the rounds I feel I should share this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptUW9-1e4JM
Me, I would've adjusted the rate of each "kill yourself" so that it would've made either a fitting rhythm or some zany polyrhythm.

[Indiscipline]

Welcome aboard, Bentower!

Come inside, of course.

Nice motivational video, and perfect grasp of this thread's spirit.

[Evermind]

Ah yes, the good old Through Her Eyes joke.

[Indiscipline]

Yup, it's been around since 1928.

[Indiscipline]

Hello?

Good, the keys still work. Let me open a window or two to let some fresh air in.

Sorry for being an absent threader, but I'm running an elaborate scam on the other side of the forums. You wanna hear this. I have people taking pains to send me great music under the delusion I have reliable and coherent tastes. I know, let's just keep this hush hush and let's see whether I can still remember this dance's moves:

10 – One Last Time:

0:00 – 0:35: It's official, Jordan is a legit concert hall worthy pianist. A 88 keys  Keith/Jon/Rick specimen. To clarify further, he has a focking left hand and knows how to use it.

0:35 – 1:11: My DT Onion Theory corroborated, my friends. Peel off the Metal, peel off the Prog, and you've got the best AOR feel you can get. Also, Big James returning after an extremely try-hard instrumental fells like Indiana Jones shooting the show-off swords guy with a smirk.

This tragic ending doesn't make any sense because it isn't a focking ending, bub. We already knew Shirley has been focked over by Old Moses and Two Morons, now you just know you're responsible. But who pulled the fock-over trigger? And why?

1:11 – 1:46: Put 1000 heavy metal tenors inside a (very big) room, give them a great chorus vocal line at belting range, tell'em it's a very emotional moment, suggest it's a girl speaking. 500 will belt their arses out, 499 will tell you they don't play girls. 1 is Kevin James LaBrie.

Whom are you laying down with today, baby? The rockspider preying on gen x's angst or the twin dullards cherishing the impossible dream to be both admired like Rush and sold like U2?

1:46 – 2:03: I had to know this. In an album featuring A) The resurrection of James, playing multiple carachters to boot – B) Johnny P's at his craziest with a whole new array of tones and capers – C) A keyboardist more than capable to follow the guitars everywhere without breaking a sweat – D) Mighty Mike swiping the stool under Terry Bozzio's arse – Well, Johnny M always finds (without searching) a way to win the Tastiest Trophy. Always.

2:03 – 2:19: This here could be my favourite guitar solo in the album ... if the following song didn't exist.

2:19 – 2:47: Finally, the ouverture actualised. Alarmingly, I can hear Big James struggling, almost breathless. I would worry ... if the following song didn't exist.

The home holds three clues: a mirror, a bucket, and binoculars. It holds an inspirational corner too.

2:47 – 3:33: This here could be my favourite melody in the album ... if the following song didn't exist.

Just for fun, move this thing 15 years later. A saviour is screaming, a ruler pleads forgiveness, a prince cannot hear anymore. Still, a girl (apparently) killed.

3:33 – 3:45: This man knows his Prokofiev (Dance of the Knights, Romeo and Juliet), and know I'm drooling at the thought of DT tapping into classical music even more (JP already writing solos like Chopin and harmonies like Brahms).


Coming Next: The Song 75% of us Want at Their Funerals.

[Dream Team]

OLT is one of my faves from SFAM.

[TAC]

OK, took some time to catch up the last couple of songs today. My apologies for the neglect.


First for TDOE:

3:07 – 3:20: A blizzard of badass bass, Master Myung. I'd like to play this bit slowed down ten times and discover it's actually the whole Cliff's Anesthesia compressed.

Seriously, I was rolling. That is very funny....and true.


And One Last Time:

2:47 – 3:33: This here could be my favourite melody in the album … if the following song didn't exist.

Just for fun, move this thing 15 years later. A saviour is screaming, a ruler pleads forgiveness, a prince cannot hear anymore. Still, a girl (apparently) killed.

Dead on, brother. Dead on.






On the BC&SL show, we were lucky enough to get TDOE/OLT. Amazing.

[Indiscipline]

Oh, yes, I'm the great neglecter , (ooh ooh)
Neglecting a thread doing well, (ooh ooh)
My need is such, my roulette's too much
I'm looney and everyone can tell

Yeah, right. Let's tell our italics cospiracy theorist to kindly fock off for a bit, because this tune is serious business. I know, I know, they played it 863 times live, it's on every DVD, we are all desensitised to it, blah-de-blah. Gobshite, my friends.

If there is one DT song in desperate need for us to remind the first time we heard it, it's this gentle beast. This is what the guys lacked on their way to immortality: the invincible stadium anthem. Same key, same time signature, eminently singalongable, goosebumps/teardrops inducing. They were full of songs that blew our minds in awe, they needed the song everybody could fall in love with. Everybody AND their girlfriends/boyfriends.

11 – The Spirit Carries On:

0:00 – 1:02: Fock the F# and its cult of voice athletics. Fock every F# in history (harp players should be grateful). THIS is where Kevin James LaBrie works true miracles. Every word matters, and you breathe when he breathes. Needless to say, only Johnny M could embroider that lick on the verse and enhance it instead of cold showering everything.

1:02 – 1:25: I have only two things to say: 1) 6/8 always wins, everytime everywhere. 2) We could have a year long elite drummers council studying this, but I'll save everybody's time and money: that was the absolute best and tastiest possible way for Mike to enter the premises. It may very well be my favourite Portnoy moment ever.

1:25 – 2:28: Seriously now. Who could afford to mix In The Flesh? with Shine on You Crazy Diamond in 1999 and get away with a superior product? Mind you, I'm ducking lightnings as I type, but it is what it is.

2:28 – 2:50: I'm not a judgemental person most of the times. Nonetheless, if your body hair doesn't spike up and salty water isn't coming out of your eyes, I'd suggest checking used souls on e-bay.

2:50 – 4:23: If you have been following this thread long enough, you may have noticed I tend to be a bit of a pretentious ponce from time to time. Not today, baby. I won't comment on this solo, because I lack the words to do it justice. One thing I'm gonna say though: from now on to the end of time, whoever dares to say Johnny P is all techique and no soul deserves to be tarred, feathered, and sodomised with an Ibanez Picasso. Double-neck, possibly.

Appendix *3:58 – 4:09*: and

4:23 – 6:11: Here it is, finally, the classic stadium chorus rock history demanded from DT. Tribute is paid, place in the Pantheon set in stone. My wife knows she will have to sing it the day I croak. If she doesn't, I focking will.

6:11 – 6:39: Post-orgasmic chill, of course. Please, if you're taking one single thing out of this crazy story of mine, never forget the way this song made you feel the first time you heard it. Please never let your memory of this disappear.

Coming Next: 12 – Finally Free and mystery solved

[Destiny Of Chaos]

 

[Podaar]

Not a single thing out of place in this installment, Alex. Except for maybe this.

My wife knows she will have to sing it the day I croak. If she doesn't, I focking will.

Anyway, a fantastic song who's beauty never diminishes no matter how many times I hear it.

[Indiscipline]

Ha! I have a mean zombie falsetto.

[TAC]

Ha! I have a mean zombie falsetto.

You could literally sing your lips off.

[Dream Team]

Is this thread on hiatus again? Oh well what's another 5 years . . .

[lucasembarbosa]

Is this thread on hiatus again? Oh well what's another 5 years . . .

I guess the author is pretty much involved with his own roulette, too much music to listen in a short time frame 

[Indiscipline]

I guess we have the answer for 137: years passing before this thread is complete.

Hang on, friends. I will resume the madness as soon as my roulette is over. I could do both, but it would involve half-arsage, and we focking hate half-arsage, don't we?

[Podaar]