Images and Words 20th Anniversary Thread

[RoeDent]

Saturday July 7th marks 20 years since Dream Theater's classic album, Images and Words, was released. Just a thread of appreciation to commemorate this milestone.

[ResultsMayVary]

* Appreciates *

[MoraWintersoul]

For some reason I thought the anniversary was back in March so I did a little listening celebration back then. This time I'm going to try and top it. Maybe even - gasp - play it out loud in front of my family members. They've been mocking me ever since I came out of the prog closet. Well July 7th is Prog Pride Parade time baby! 

[theGonz]

After 20 years it's still a hell of an album. Can't wait to see these guys in concert!

[Gadough]

I haven't listened to the album in a good while, so I'll definitely make sure to do so this Saturday.

[TheGreatPretender]

I listen to it on a regular basis. At least once every two months, so there's really not a whole lot I could do to celebrate it. A Vinyl should really be released though, to commemorate it.

[The Letter M]

Saturday July 7th marks 20 years since Dream Theater's classic album, Images and Words, was released. Just a thread of appreciation to commemorate this milestone.

Thought we had this one - https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=32613.0 - to do that?

Well, now I guess we have TWO threads dedicated to the anniversary of IAW!



-Marc.

[ResultsMayVary]

Two is always better than one, especially for an album such as Images & Words.

[The Letter M]

Two is always better than one, especially for an album such as Images & Words.

Well, since we have two topics, I'm going to nit-pick in this one and say that I get annoyed when I see the use of the ampersand in the title for this album, mostly because on the album cover, it's definitely "And" and not "&" and I am pretty sure, on every band release (Ytsejam, DTIFC, or otherwise), the title of the album is typed as Images And Words.

IIRC, the only DT studio album title with the ampersand in it is Black Clouds & Silver Linings.

-Marc.

[ResultsMayVary]

Don't be that guy! You know full well I meant the word "and." 

[Fourth Horseman]

Best DT album and one of the greatest by any artist IMHO. I have 7 out of 8 of the songs in my top 20.

[Zydar]

*Appreciates the hell out of it*

Best DT album, and a Top 10 overall album for me. Every song is fantastic, and if I should make a DT Top 50 or whatever, three of the songs would make my Top 5 (Learning To Live, Another Day, Surrounded).

[obscure]

*Appreciates*

[Sketchy]

My father really did get the best birthday

*appreciates the hell out of the album in advance, as it's unlikely that I can persuade him to let me blast it all day*

[hefdaddy42]

That's also my Mom's birthday.

[Elite]

My favourite album of all time. I'll be at the Night of the Prog festival that day, but I'll be sure to play it on the way there the day before

[MoraWintersoul]

My favourite album of all time. I'll be at the Night of the Prog festival that day, but I'll be sure to play it on the way there the day before

You lucky lucky person! I want a prog festival not-2000-miles-away too!

[ZKX-2099]

A classic for sure. I always thought it captured the overall "sound" of the era it was released in but not in a way that caused it to age poorly.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Fantastic Album, It was a real eye-opener for me

[Scorpion]

I&W is a very good album, but not DT's best. I will nevertheless appreciated this day by listening to it at least three times. 

[wasteland]

My all-time favourite album, hands down. It took me a while to get aware of this, but now it's pretty established in my mind, and I don't see it slipping down its throne in the new future. Masterpiece 

[BlobVanDam]

My 3rd favourite DT album, but still an amazingly strong album with a lot of energy.

[wasteland]

My 3rd favourite DT album, but still an amazingly strong album with a lot of energy.

Scenes's in between?

[BlobVanDam]

My 3rd favourite DT album, but still an amazingly strong album with a lot of energy.

Scenes's in between?

Yup.

[DebraKadabra]

Images and Words blew me away when it came out - was like nothing I'd ever heard before.

[gm5k]

The youthful energy and hunger they had on this album is amazing to me.  It's not just the music but the performances as well.   Best recording of James's voice ever easily IMO.  I think his best moment here is right before and right after the solo on Surrounded.  Such ridiculous control and delivery.  Album also has my favorite keyboard solo ever on Take The Time.  LTL is a top 3 DT song for me, maybe #1...Such a special album, still probably my favorite overall.

Oh, and it's also the best sounding album they've ever done.  Engineers were on top of their game as well 

[Pelata]

Although Awake is my favorite DT album, I&W is obviously a brilliant record. I love every song, I love the lyrics, I love the vibe...I don't love the triggered drums but that's a minor gripe. I like the remixed versions on Greatest Hit....those drums sound better.

Still, "Under A Glass Moon", "Metropolis", "Learning To Live", "Waiting For Sleep", "Surrounded" and of course "Pull Me Under"...my god...brilliant album. One of my favorite JLB vocals is "UAGM"...amazing!

[TheGreatPretender]

Personally, I think the one thing that makes Awake and I&W great are the lyrics. I honestly would say that by losing Keivin Moore, I miss his lyrics more than I miss his keyboard playing. Not that I didn't like his keyboard playing. I just think he was that good of a lyricist.

[Pelata]

Kevin Moore definitely left a hole lyrically that they never recovered from, IMO.

[MoraWintersoul]

Kevin Moore definitely left a hole lyrically that they never recovered from, IMO.

He wrote, like... 8 lyrics in total on three albums. I adore his lyrics to death but that's a weird thing to say. But oh well, opinions 

[TheGreatPretender]

He wrote, like... 8 lyrics in total on three albums. I adore his lyrics to death but that's a weird thing to say. But oh well, opinions 

But they were some of the most beautiful lyrics. I mean, Pull Me Under, Space-Dye Vest, 6:00, and frankly, even Lie. He just had such a magical poetry to his writing.

[MoraWintersoul]

But they were some of the most beautiful lyrics. I mean, Pull Me Under, Space-Dye Vest, 6:00, and frankly, even Lie. He just had such a magical poetry to his writing.

Yeah, he did (and still does!), but even the lyrics he had nothing to do with back in the day were pretty swell if I may say so myself. And it's not like I listened to Scenes and FII afterwards (since I moved more or less chronologically) and thought "oh yeah, these lyrics don't cut it, they don't make 'em like they used to". They were fairly good as well, even if I don't like some lyrical things about those albums (yes, even Scenes), the general quality remained the same.

re:Lie yay, finally someone who appreciates those lyrics as well *high five*

[TheGreatPretender]

Yeah, he did (and still does!), but even the lyrics he had nothing to do with back in the day were pretty swell if I may say so myself. And it's not like I listened to Scenes and FII afterwards (since I moved more or less chronologically) and thought "oh yeah, these lyrics don't cut it, they don't make 'em like they used to". They were fairly good as well, even if I don't like some lyrical things about those albums (yes, even Scenes), the general quality remained the same.

re:Lie yay, finally someone who appreciates those lyrics as well *high five*

Don't get me wrong, I like Pettrucci's lyrics, and the stuff they've written since. But it just doesn't have the same, like I said, poetry that Moore had. Whether it's "I'll take seven lives for one, and then my only father's son, as sure as I did ever love him I am not afraid," or "Mother Mary, quite contrary, kiss the boys and make them wary" I've just never heard stuff like that in any other band.

[MoraWintersoul]

Don't get me wrong, I like Pettrucci's lyrics, and the stuff they've written since. But it just doesn't have the same, like I said, poetry that Moore had. Whether it's "I'll take seven lives for one, and then my only father's son, as sure as I did ever love him I am not afraid," or "Mother Mary, quite contrary, kiss the boys and make them wary" I've just never heard stuff like that in any other band.

I guess I can relate to that because I believe he's one of the best lyricists on the planet as well. Love the man to pieces, overall.

[TheGreatPretender]

I guess I can relate to that because I believe he's one of the best lyricists on the planet as well. Love the man to pieces, overall.

Here here. And they don't lose their impact for me at all. I've been listening to Wait For Sleep for years and the lyrics still move me almost as much as when I first heard it.