"Build Me Up, Break Me Down" is the "You Not Me" of ADTOE

[skydivingninja]

BMUBMD sounds a bit like a Static Impulse song that's been DT'd.  Its much much better than YNM.

[TAC]

Exactly..so out of place on this album.

[Nihil-Morari]

Well, I don't see it. I don't hear it either. It was the first song on the album that got me, chorus is catchy (like Caught in a Web, as I've seen someone mention) riff is great, with a little pinch harmonic it could be right off of ToT (like INToG's main riff), outro is as disturbing in a creepy way, as repentance's violin arrangements are in a dark way, the screams could be right off of SC or even BC&SL, really.

I can't see what makes this song filler, or even un-DT'ish, apart from a sort of light DTF indoctrination.

[EdenHazard]

Seems I'm one of the few around here that actually agree. While I don't think it's a bad song and like it a lot more than "You not me" I'm just not excited about it all. It's catchy, yes, and I like the screams, but apart from that I don't think it's a very interesting song. In my opinion it is by far the weakest song of the CD. But as it's still okay-ish, that's a good thing.

[chrisgazpacho]

To me it seems more like the Caught in a Web of ADTOE.  I like it a lot.  I think it's the best straight forward metal track since CIAW.  Better than something like A Rite of Passage, Forsaken, or Constant Motion as far as short DT tracks go.  Don't get the hate for this song, melodies are cool, the keys are awesome.

[Nekov]

BMU BMD is better than YNM, but just a bit. I rank it as the second to last song in the album. So yeah, it probably is the YNM of ADTOE.

[Fuzzboy]

String outro is fucking AWESOME. Sounds like it should be on the soundtrack to the first Max Payne

[livehard]

In fact, I think I like "You Not Me" more. 

added:

I just think it's a really pointless song.  Musically, it goes nowhere.  Melodically, it's not interesting at all.  The instrumental parts don't add anything to the song.  The riffs are boring....  the rest of the songs are genius and this song doesn't deserve to be on the same album.  It sounds like a Train of Thought demo that didn't make it or something.  I really hate it.  But, it's all opinion, like I said.

You dont think it has an awesome chorus?

[ddtonfire]

BMUBMD sounds a bit like a Static Impulse song that's been DT'd.  Its much much better than YNM.

I do believe that there is a contingent of DT fans who really wanted a Solo JLB-style track on a DT album, and this is what they got.

[hefdaddy42]

BMUBMD sounds a bit like a Static Impulse song that's been DT'd.  Its much much better than YNM.

I do believe that there is a contingent of DT fans who really wanted a Solo JLB-style track on a DT album, and this is what they got.

I've never gathered that.  The only thing I've seen along those lines is that many fans wanted the vocals on the DT album to be more like they are on JLB's solo albums.  And that's what they got.

[chrisgazpacho]

The only thing I've seen along those lines is that many fans wanted the vocals on the DT album to be more like they are on JLB's solo albums.  And that's what they got.

I don't see how the chorus of Forsaken is any different to the BMUBMD chorus.  Same style and delivery.

[hefdaddy42]

The only thing I've seen along those lines is that many fans wanted the vocals on the DT album to be more like they are on JLB's solo albums.  And that's what they got.

I don't see how the chorus of Forsaken is any different to the BMUBMD chorus.  Same style and delivery.

I meant the recording/production of the vocals.

[Jaffa]

I don't really see the You Not Me comparison, but I'm not a big fan of this song, either.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't really see the You Not Me comparison, but I'm not a big fan of this song, either.

That's the comparison.

[Jaffa]

So 'You Not Me' is just a new term for 'something I don't like'?

[hefdaddy42]

So 'You Not Me' is just a new term for 'something I don't like'?

What do you mean "new"?

[Mladen]

I don't see how the chorus of Forsaken is any different to the BMUBMD chorus. 

It's not as amazing as BMUBMD chorus. 

[jsem]

YNM is better. YNM is not a bad song imo, it has a good solo too - it gets way too much hate.

BMUBMD is slightly worse.

[Liberation]

It's not "easily and without question the worst".

Thanks for not reading the very next thing I posted, "IMHO."

It has the same rights as every other song on the album

I have no idea what this means.

and it's not any less DT.

It is to me.  There is nothing distinctively DT about it.  It is a song (again, like I mentioned, like Forsaken) that could have been done by anyone.  Specifically, this song sounds like it could have been on one of JLB's last two solo albums.  Both of which I love, but if I want to hear that, I will listen to them.  When I want DT, I want something different.

That they explore new territory (which is always a good thing) doesn't mean it's not DT - and unlike A Rite of Passage, which was a cool but rather predictable and not very original heavy/prog metal song, Build Me Up, Break Me Down is quite unique and remarkable.

I see nothing unique or remarkable, and I see no new territory.

And it is a much more straightforward song than most on the album because it doesn't contain any technical/solo parts, but it's in no way simplistic or uninteresting. There's a LOT of awesome detail in the song and they clearly put far more effort into it than "let's just make a modern metal single".

I didn't say it was simplistic and there was no detail, and I didn't accuse them of putting no effort into it or accusing them of trying to make a modern metal single.  What are you talking about?  Why are you putting words in my mouth?  Why are you working so hard to debate me on this?

I tried my best to write a nice post but if you're just getting aggressive on me for no apparent reason, I give up already at this point.

  I wasn't being aggressive.  I was attempting to discuss this with you, since you apparently wanted to discuss it with me.

Well, yes I wanted to, and I had tried to make that post nice and more or less diplomatic. And your post, especially the last part, sounds like if I offended you or something. I'm just confused a bit because I hadn't meant anything bad.

[KevShmev]

I can sorta see this.  I like MBU, BMD, but it is definitely one of the two least best songs from the record.

In fact, ADTOE is sort of like Falling into Infinity in that the first two songs are not strong at all, but once track 3 kicks in, the album really takes off from that point on until the end (although FII's highs are higher and ADTOE's lows from tracks 3 on are higher).

[3xodus]

I'm the only person that is going to say this and totally mean it in a very serious, non troll way. I cannot get into the kind of thrashy (especially thrashy vocals) music the BMUBMD seems to be aiming for. It still stands as one of my least favorite DT songs along with Burning My Soul, Lie, Anna Lee etc. etc.

And are you ready for this shit?

You Not Me is a fucking masterpiece, at least from the guitar perspective. I love the trademark JP chords and the chromatic, bluesy, and tasteful solo in that song. When he uses the E/G# with the F#11  I am just going to automatically love the damn song and I don't know why.

But that's just like... you know... my opinion, man.

[Liberation]

I wouldn't really say it's thrashy; if I had to _really_ force a comparison, I'd say there's some slight nu-metal influence in there. If I had to think of DT going thrashy, my first thought is Constant Motion.

[3xodus]

The vocals are really harsh and just sort of shriek at me during the chorus. Thrash vocals do that to me too. That's why I made the comparison I guess.

I also enjoy JLB's side project work with a serious passion.  I disagree that it sounds anything remotely close to Static Impulse or anything else he has done by the way.

[ZirconBlue]

BMUBMD sounds a bit like a Static Impulse song that's been DT'd.  Its much much better than YNM.

I do believe that there is a contingent of DT fans who really wanted a Solo JLB-style track on a DT album, and this is what they got.

I resemble that remark.

I also enjoy JLB's side project work with a serious passion.  I disagree that it sounds anything remotely close to Static Impulse or anything else he has done by the way.

I'd say it's more reminiscent of EoP than SI.  It's a more straight-forward song in terms of structure/time signature/etc., and it's got some of the same electronic elements.  I'd say it's somewhat similar in sound to "Alone", which was also the 2nd track on its respective album.

[Cranky]

To the OP, I respect your opinion, and that's fine if you feel that way about the song,
maybe you can give it a few more listens  to let it kind of sink it.


but, I must say...
I  LOVE the song half-to-death.

I love the riffs, they are really raunchy, catchy, and for lack of better words... heavy.
The melodies are catchy, they work very well with the music.
The lyrics are a little *eh* at times, mostly the parts in the chorus that go "I'm your guilty addiction" "your iconic fixation" etc. are a little tacky, but the rest of the song makes up for that one flaw I can find with the song.
And it sounds like something off of JLB's solo record, which I have no problems with, because I love that too.

Hmm.. I kinda like You Not Me.. It's not THAT bad, maybe for Dream Theater standards... But, have you heard a bad song before? 

I don't think it was meant to "go anywhere" or take you on a musical journey through time and space, since it's just kind of a "radio-friendly" tune, and it lives it's purpose quite well. To me, I think it's neat because it's not overly long, it doesn't have any fat that needs to be trimmed. The song goes through it's motions,  and then ends when it should.

And, again: you're not wrong, I'm not wrong. It's just all opinions! 

[3xodus]

I wholeheartedly disagree with that. Alone has a consistent high energy to it and builds to an epic chorus/solo/bridge/outro through every verse. It's an emotional rollercoaster. Every time I listen to BMUBMD it just seems to never get off the blocks for me. It seems to just fall flat for the entire song. Once again, my opinion.

*edit* Actually the solo builds to the bridge but I think you get what I'm saying.. Meh I'm tired.

[pmahoney1337]

I will agree that BMUBMD is the "You Not Me" of the album, but that is only because it is my least favorite on the album like "You Not Me" was on Falling Into Infinity. It's a great tune and I know I will love it live. iIt really reminds me of something off of one of James' solo albums.

[ZirconBlue]

I wholeheartedly disagree with that. Alone has a consistent high energy to it and builds to an epic chorus/solo/bridge/outro through every verse. It's an emotional rollercoaster. Every time I listen to BMUBMD it just seems to never get off the blocks for me. It seems to just fall flat for the entire song. Once again, my opinion.

*edit* Actually the solo builds to the bridge but I think you get what I'm saying.. Meh I'm tired.

   Saying things have a similar sound isn't a statement about the relative quality of those 2 things. 

[3xodus]

Ah, I just misunderstood what you were trying to say. Sorry about that. Yeah the electronic intro is sort of similar and the drum machine beats and such. I'm not seeing any familiarities in the vocal style, and I think that was what I was mostly focusing on.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm just confused a bit because I hadn't meant anything bad.

Good, neither did I.  So, would you like to answer my questions/comments?

[Jamesman42]

I like MBU, BMD,

My Big Unicorn, Beat My Dong?

[senecadawg2]

Build Me Up, Break Me Down >>>>>>>> You Not Me

This right here. BMUBMD is a much cooler song, and while its not nearly the best of the album, it still has a really catchy chorus.

[emindead]

I completely agree with the OP.

It not only challenges YNM but The Ones Who Helped to Set the Sun.

[Nihil-Morari]

I completely agree with the OP.

It not only challenges YNM but The Ones Who Helped to Set the Sun.

Wow, and what do those two have in common?

[tristl]

I love BMUBMD like I love all DT songs, as long there is not tomuch blah blah in it( the great debate, repentence), or too personal stuff(tbot, repentence again) wich puts me off while listening and i hate to skip parts of songs.