DT in the studio again!

[JayOctavarium]

If that is true then they don't need to be videos. They could just be audio clips.

Well then it's settled. DT, if you are reading this, please... no more videos unless they are ZOMG1080pHIGHDEF!!!!!111 Because they are not worth anyone's time. Either release your updates on 3D BluRay or on some form of lossless audio format we can download... because 320 on youtube is not worthy of your fans.

Holy crap, do you belong to the AT forum? 'Cause that's the only other place I know with that penguin.

Honestly I have know idea what that is

It's just one of several penguin emotes I have found to use around here.

[TheGreatPretender]

Guys, what if the instrumental is a 30 second spacey intro that leads into the first song of the album??

That would suck. It should be a 10 minute super indulgent piece of epic... Wankery (for the lack of a better word, although wankery in DT's case is awesome), that leads into the second track.

[Dacling]

Guys, what if the instrumental is a 30 second spacey intro that leads into the first song of the album??

That would suck. It should be a 10 minute super indulgent piece of epic... Wankery (for the lack of a better word, although wankery in DT's case is awesome), that leads into the second track.

It should be 5 minutes of ultimate wankery that makes the dance of eternity look like a exercise  in simplicity and the other 5 minutes a mellow and emotion to the point that it makes Hell's Kitchen and Eve look weep from it's beauty.

[TheGreatPretender]

It should be 5 minutes of ultimate wankery that makes the dance of eternity look like a exercise  in simplicity and the other 5 minutes a mellow and emotion to the point that it makes Hell's Kitchen and Eve look weep from it's beauty.

And constantly changing.

[DebraKadabra]

Didn't he write Breaking All Illusions though ?

I have to say I was really underwhelmed with that song.

And the lyrics were nothing spectacular.

You're a cool dude, but damn you're a negative Nancy sometimes.

[Cable]

And the lyrics were nothing spectacular.

Those lyrics were infinitely better than any lyrics from the previous two albums, any song on those previous albums. They may not have been Shakespeare but a major improvement... ADTOE in itself was a major lyrical improvement

Agreed. BAI may not be LSOAD or ToT, but it was a step back in the right direction compared to most non Myung lyric albums.

JM's attitude was refreshing to hear for some reason; the band has X amount of songs that will need lyrics, and I'll take one.

[j]

Didn't he write Breaking All Illusions though ?

I have to say I was really underwhelmed with that song.

And the lyrics were nothing spectacular.

I wouldn't call them "spectacular" either.  But they were *miles and miles* better than anything from the previous album.

-J

[MoraWintersoul]

THERE'S NOT A SINGLE THING IN THE UNIVERSE THAT'S BETTER THAN THE FACT THAT FREAKIN MR MYUNG ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

Wait, that was you who asked the question?

If so, that means that both questions so far have been from members of Dream Theater Forums! (AdamEastment and you.)

Yup! I am pretty sure we'll dominate these questions hehe!

Dudes, we totally rule over everything whenever I visit any of their personal fanpages, I always find one or two or three DTFers that I am aware of commenting under posts with awesome shit

[wasteland]

It was you?  I didn't understand it, he didn't read it properly, I think. This must be quite exciting for you, dear teenage weakling 

[MarkFitDT]

Didn't he write Breaking All Illusions though ?

I have to say I was really underwhelmed with that song.

And the lyrics were nothing spectacular.

wait, is it April Fools Day??!!

[SjundeInseglet]

Didn't he write Breaking All Illusions though ?

I have to say I was really underwhelmed with that song.

And the lyrics were nothing spectacular.

To each his own, I guess. I, for one, find that "Breaking All Illusions" is easily the best song the band has written since "Lines in The Sand" and I do enjoy the lyrics. They're not devastatingly or achingly beatiful but they're pretty interesting and well-written.

[Mladen]

Always good to hear from JM, that' some good news. Also, four pages. 

[phentalmyst]

wait, these vids aren't in 5.1???

meh.

[darkshade]

WAIT, THE BAND IS SITTING IN A RELAXED DEMEANOR INSTEAD OF STANDING WITH ARMS CROSSED AND LOOKING BAD-ASS??? and it's not in 5.1 digital high definition surround sound?

[Big Hath]

the video is only 39 seconds so it can't be any good

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Where was the video's audio mixed? Such a horrible sound...shame on them.

[Pols Voice]

They didn't let James sit on a couch. They've let down the fans.

[Madman Shepherd]

I don't know how anyone could be expecting to be blown away by any lyrics.  My reaction to BAI was about the same to ToT.  Beautiful thought provoking lyrics, unique to JM's style.  Exactly what I wanted and expected.  Of course in a way it was surprising in a good way...but I pretty much had faith it would be somewhat catchy, somewhat epic, somewhat thought provoking, and the rest was pretty much a pleasant surprise. 

[Bertielee]

From JLB's twitter :

James LaBrie ‏@Piratecjs 4 h

All the music progress for DT and Solo stuff is amazing!! RAAWKK!

B.Lee

[TheGreatPretender]

I wanna heaaaar!!!!

[Kotowboy]

Has anyone here ever literally been moved by lyrics ?

To the point of "  I never thought of that " or "  Man that is so true. "

Or even made a lifestyle change ?

I dunno - maybe I just don't care about lyrics that much.

I only notice when I really like them for rhythmical or humorous or clever reasons but never like  so moving...


Or if they're incredibly bad.

[JayOctavarium]

I have

[Cool Chris]

I feel the same way. I wouldn't go so far as to say I don't care about lyrics, but when I hear a song for the first time, I am usually more tuned in to the music. The second listen, and more, if there are any, I will focus more the lyrics and take in the song as a whole.

There are rare occurrences when lyrics will move me, but that is a function of what is going on in my life when I hear the song for the first time. When it looked like my high school girlfriend and I were splitting up, I heard 'Long, Long Time' by Linda Ronstadt in my car (I remember it vividly). At the time, those lyrics were the most beautiful and moving I had ever heard. And I still think about that situation to this day when I hear that song.

I am moved quite often by literature and film, but I think for me there is just so much more time invested in the story, compared to a 5 minute long song.

[wasteland]

It can happen to me to be moved by lyrics, but that usually happens very far into my relationship with the song. Just like Cool Chris said, I don't care about the lyrics (and not being English-speaking helps) until the fourth or fifth listen or so. With bands I'm not really an avid fan of I can even never feel the need to check them out.

[TheGreatPretender]

Has anyone here ever literally been moved by lyrics ?

To the point of "  I never thought of that " or "  Man that is so true. "

Or even made a lifestyle change ?

I dunno - maybe I just don't care about lyrics that much.

I only notice when I really like them for rhythmical or humorous or clever reasons but never like  so moving...


Or if they're incredibly bad.

I honestly don't care about lyrics that much, I can still enjoy a song and not care if the lyrics suck. But sometimes, a song, or even just a couple of lines, really hit home with me, so yes, I have been moved, and in no small part by DT's lyrics.

[jonnybaxy]

By DT's lyrics? I've been moved by vacant and by the story in SFAM and by Johnny Cash's hurt, that got to me a lot mainly due to it pretty much being about him dying

[DebraKadabra]

I'd have to say that it's equally the lyrics AND the music for me.

[gmillerdrake]

I'd have to say that it's equally the lyrics AND the music for me.

For me as well. An that is why SC and BC&SL didn't 'do it' for me really. Don't get me wrong , I love DT and anything they produce musically (to me) is far and away better than 90% of the music out there. But this two albums were very lyrically lazy IMO.
ADTOE was a step back in the right direction if you ask me. I'm hoping they use more of JLB's lyrics personally. The songs he writes tend to be very good. Sounds like JMX is down for a song, I wish I were more but ill take whatever he gives and JP's lyrics were much improved on ADTOE.

[DebraKadabra]

Well said, Gary.

[Lucidity]

I think DT generally has bad lyrics. There are exceptions, and it hardly affects my enjoyment of DT songs at all (they're my favorite band, period). But I will admit that their lyrics are just bad.

[BlackInk]

Yeah there are a few DT songs with good lyrics like Disappear, Six Degrees or A Change of Seasons which are really great lyrical works. Other than those and a few others DT lyrics are either just average or a bit silly.

[wasteland]

You guys have crazy legitimate opinions 

[?]

I love great lyrics; DT wrote lots of them in the early days and there have been some brilliant lyrical moments on later albums too, but the music itself is the reason why I listen to DT, or any other band. Great lyrics can't save a song if the music is bad, but weak lyrics don't make a song worse if it's musically excellent.

[425]

For me, it's like 80-90% music and 10-20% lyrics. In general, I agree with ? that lyrics can't save a bad song or trash a good one, but they can certainly enhance or diminish the effect of a song. For example, Scarred is a very good song, and would be one regardless of lyrics, but you have to agree that the overall effect of the song would be diminished if James was singing about his pet cat, Tibbles. And vice versa for any song with bad lyrics. Good, fitting lyrics can enhance a good song, and bad lyrics can diminish it. But the lyrics do not make the song good or bad. Even Scarred, Tibbles edition, would be a very good song. Just not as good as the real one.

But yes, I love lyrics when they do shine, and I think James LaBrie is especially good at times at emphasizing good lyrics. And early on, Dream Theater wrote some amazing lyrics. I think Images and Words and Awake are both pretty well flawless in the lyrical department. So, yes, the quality declined later (and now appears to be on the rise again), but don't neglect some of the lyrical greatness DT has achieved in the past.

[phentalmyst]

By DT's lyrics? I've been moved by vacant and by the story in SFAM and by Johnny Cash's hurt, that got to me a lot mainly due to it pretty much being about him dying

tell me you're joking. that's a cover song...