Hats off to Mr James LaBrie

[IdoSC]

While James is extremely good in the standard songs (especially Bridges, BMUBMD and BAI), I think the highlight of this album, when it comes to James, is the ballads:
This is the Life - sounds as awesome as their previous ballads, except the vocal melodies are even better. I mean really, he just nailed this song and you can really feel the lyrics and their meaning.

In Far From Heaven his singing makes you feel like a child tortured by his overly-aspiring parents. Brilliant work.

And Beneath the Surface...likely the best work I've heard by JLB, at least in a VERY long time. This is just too amazing, it's like these lyrics come to life.

[cosmotobe]

After years of struggling he managed to fully regain his voice. Since Octavarium it just got better and better. Hats off indeed! His performance on the european tour this year was great and I'm happy to hear him sing the F# in LtL with so much power. Although it's obvious that in his age the higher notes are becoming more difficult to hit, he still sounds amazingly good. It's also a good decision to concentrate more on his comfortable mid range zone. There he definately never sounded better than now! The higher notes became somewhat rare, but when he sings them, they kick some serious...

The only thing that annoys me is the recent use of backing tracks on stage (Forsaken). I hope JP will not do the same because he needs more guitar tracks... I also have the impression - I don't know it!!! - that there's some harmonizer and pitch correction on the new album. I hope this is not true... I love a more "human" sound...

[yesrushdt]

There's definitely some auto-tune going on, but it doesn't bother me. One thing I'm not sure if people realize is that everyone uses it these days.

Like any fad tons of people jump on the bandwagon unfortunately.  This tool should used by people that can't sing, not talented vocalists like Mr. LaBrie.  Like Blob said, it sounds way too artificial and has really left a black eye on the entire music industry in my opinion.

[Herrick]

I honestly can't see what so much better with his vocals than normal.  I wish he put some more aggression in parts, and especially went for a couple of high notes.  I love the BMU, BMD chorus, I was hoping for more of that sort of stuff through the album. 

I guess the album really isn't clicking for me, I feel a lot of the melodies aren't as strong as previous albums.

I'm liking the new album so far but I agree with you about his vocals. I don't see (or hear) what stands out on this one more than the others. He does sound pretty good but I thought he's always sounded good in the studio. It's the live setting where he's struggled.

[darkshade]

Well, it's like if Michael Jordan came back to the NBA again. He could easily play and dominate the court, but you know everyone would be like, "it ain't like 20 years ago". James LaBrie is dominating the court (album), and it's easily his best since Awake (and Octavarium for more recent comparison).

[3xodus]

Dyslexia just kicked in for a second and I saw LaBrie James in all the basketball references...

[ReaPsTA]

This is the third Michael Jordan/ADTOE reference I've seen, all three by different posters.  Either people are more stoked on this album than I realize or you all are deliberately conspiring over PM to mess with us.  I'm going with the latter.

[Jaffa]

This is the third Michael Jordan/ADTOE reference I've seen, all three by different posters.  Either people are more stoked on this album than I realize or you all are deliberately conspiring over PM to mess with us.  I'm going with the latter.

I was gonna say.

[SDFprowler]

LaBrie sounds great as usual, but he just doesn't go into the higher register like he used to.  I loved that about him.  Sigh.  Another Hand - The Killing Hand, Learning To Live, Voices, A Change of Seasons.. epic LaBrie.  I'm always a little disappointed nowdays because he rarely belts out the high notes anymore.