"Voices" Appreciation Thread

Joshin U · July 30, 2013, 07:37:36 AM

To get our minds off of new album announcements, show your appreciation for Voices!

I LOVE this song. My favorite song of Awake and top 10 for all DT. I remember the first time I heard it, I wasn't all that impressed. But I came back to it after a while and, damn, did it grow on me fast. My favorite parts are the transition from the heavy intro to the haunting "Love, just don't stare" and the melody during "See my diary on the newstand" section.

serrano · July 30, 2013, 07:46:37 AM

Best song on Awake, great atmosphere, lyrics, vocals, top 2 JP solo on awake. Can't pick a favorite part out of it, i just love the whole song.

The Stray Seed · July 30, 2013, 07:50:12 AM

One of the best in the whole catalogue. It has maybe the greatest lyrics ever written for a DT song.

TheGreatPretender · July 30, 2013, 07:52:35 AM

It's definitely one of the songs (like most songs on Awake) that took me a loooong time to 'get'. I love it now, though. JLB's best vocals on the whole album.

jdprsaga · July 30, 2013, 07:52:48 AM

It's in my top 3 for me. Both the song and the solo.

Mastervai · July 30, 2013, 07:55:43 AM

I think this song does not get enough recognition. (edit: guess my asuption was wrong, haven't seen it mentioned here much though).
My favorite part are the intro, the "see my diary" sections that build up to an increadible solo that is easily in the top 5 of all petrucci solos for me.

Only part I do not especially care for are the kind of high pitch screams JLB does in the verse the "But where was the Garden of Eden?" parts.

Otherwise an perfect song

TheGreatPretender · July 30, 2013, 07:57:44 AM

Quote from: Mastervai on July 30, 2013, 07:55:43 AM
I think this song does not get enough recognition.

Back before I really liked the song all that much, all I used to hear was how much people love it, so I'm pretty sure it gets plenty of recognition. Around here, at least.

KevShmev · July 30, 2013, 08:00:51 AM

Dream Theater has a handful of songs I would describe as absolutely perfect. Voices is one of those songs.

? · July 30, 2013, 08:06:42 AM

Amazing song with excellent lyrics, great atmosphere, a perfect performance by James and one of JP's top 5 solos

Sycsa · July 30, 2013, 08:16:49 AM

On a slightly related note, I tagged along with some friends to a metal festival last weekend. Wasn't really my cup of tea (Rammstein, Trivium, Bullet for My Valentine), but between concerts, to lift my spirits I assume, they put on DT songs, almost exclusively. The first one I heard was Voices, cut right to the "Thought disorder, dream control" part. It was unexpected and packed such an enormous punch that I couldn't believe my ears for a few seconds.

Quote from: TheGreatPretender on July 30, 2013, 07:52:35 AM
JLB's best vocals on the whole album.

Close, but I'll reserve that spot for Innocence Faded.

puppyonacid · July 30, 2013, 08:19:17 AM

*snip*

krands85 · July 30, 2013, 08:19:59 AM

Quote from: serrano on July 30, 2013, 07:46:37 AM
Best song on Awake, great atmosphere, lyrics, vocals, top 2 JP solo on awake. Can't pick a favorite part out of it, i just love the whole song.

This, though I can pick a favourite part - 'Pleasantly amused enough to staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy' into the solo

Always been my favourite song on Awake and although it's not among the real highest tier of DT songs for me, it's still fantastic.

hefdaddy42 · July 30, 2013, 08:32:01 AM

Simply fantastic.

wolven74 · July 30, 2013, 08:33:27 AM

One of my all time favorite tracks from DT. Lyrically it's amazing, The "thought disorder, dream control" is the heaviest section in any DT song. Even more than the riff at the end of TDEN. I hope JP can get back to writing lyrics like this again. Absolutely love this song.

DarkLord_Lalinc · July 30, 2013, 08:34:05 AM

One of Dream Theater's all-time bests.

The lyrics are incredible.

mikeyd23 · July 30, 2013, 09:05:48 AM

Love this song, it was actually a grower for me though. When I first got Awake there were some songs that were immediate, I loved them right away. Voices was not one of those songs. I liked it, but there were others that I was more drawn to at the start.

But then after a while, it grew on me quickly, now its one of my favorites on the record. The atmosphere is excellent, each band member playing the exact part they need to play to compliment the song itself and the other players. And JP's guitar solo gives me chills every time I listen to it in the car, volume cranked up!!

Lyrically I find it to be quite interesting as well, I know lyrics are completely subjective, so to each his/her own, but I have always found them to be an intriguing look into JP from a some-what personal perspective.

20th Century Icon · July 30, 2013, 09:45:04 AM

Quote from: KevShmev on July 30, 2013, 08:00:51 AM
Dream Theater has a handful of songs I would describe as absolutely perfect. Voices is one of those songs.

Yep.

The way the song builds in a crescendo to its majestic conclusion makes Voices my favorite DT song, even after all these years.

Nearmyth · July 30, 2013, 09:47:24 AM

Probably the most atmospheric song on Awake, besides perhaps Scarred. 10/10 song for me, one of my favorites on the album. The guitar solo is sick, and the bridge-verse section after the heavy part is so cool. I also really like the acoustic ending that leads into The Silent Man.

I remember this one growing on me pretty fast, I liked the chorus straight away and the rest of the song came together shortly after.

I also like the song's placement in the album, being a centerpiece in a way. I feel like this song is the point in the album where "shit gets real." All the songs preceding it were fairly upbeat, heavy, driving (6:00, Innocence Faded, etc.), where as this song is serious, dramatic, powerful. The solo exemplifies this. Not sure if others feel the same way, it's just how I look at it.

But yeah, good song, one of the highlights of Awake.

Voices · July 30, 2013, 10:40:59 AM

Love this song...and I feel extremely redundant sayin' that.

Tom Bombadil · July 30, 2013, 11:49:58 AM

Glad to see this song getting a lot of love. Its a top 5 for me for sure. Lyrics are fantastic and the atmosphere is perfect. Just a great song all around

Lucien · July 30, 2013, 11:53:42 AM

It's in my top 15.

Onno · July 30, 2013, 01:01:14 PM

My second favourite from Awake (after Scarred) and one of my favourite DT songs. Fantastic!

Voices · July 30, 2013, 01:03:41 PM

Am I the only one who loves the version of Voices they played on BCSL tour?

Lolzeez · July 30, 2013, 01:19:16 PM

Best misheard lyrics ever.

Mosh · July 30, 2013, 01:25:19 PM

Great song. Wish DT would write more epics like this, with less emphasis on their technical prowess and more focus on atmosphere and great songwriting.

Joshin U · July 30, 2013, 01:30:44 PM

Quote from: Lolzeez on July 30, 2013, 01:19:16 PM
Best misheard lyrics ever.

I FEEL THE LEG
I FEEL THE BREAST
SEX IS DEATH
DEATH IS SEX
SEX IS RIGHT HERE ON MY CRUCIFIX

MarkFitDT · July 30, 2013, 01:47:53 PM

simply 10/10 from me. Best song on Awake

Metropolis1928 · July 30, 2013, 04:07:38 PM

My second favourite in Awake (after Scarred). Incredible song.

One of the only things that I would criticise is that sometimes I would like this song to be a stand alone so it could have it's own intro and outro (like in OIALT) and when I only want to listen to Voices it doesn't sound a little 'incomplete'. And sometimes not, because Erotomania and TSM are awesome too.

TheGreatPretender · July 30, 2013, 04:15:09 PM

Quote from: Metropolis1928 on July 30, 2013, 04:07:38 PM
My second favourite in Awake (after Scarred). Incredible song.

One of the only things that I would criticise is that sometimes I would like this song to be a stand alone so it could have it's own intro and outro (like in OIALT) and when I only want to listen to Voices it doesn't sound a little 'incomplete'. And sometimes not, because Erotomania and TSM are awesome too.

I totally agree with you on that. That's pretty much what deterred me from listening to it for the longest time (mostly because I'm not very fond of Erotomania). But I edited Voices in such a way that it sounds more or less stand-alone now, basically starting it off with the drums, and fading it on the outro. It's not perfect, but it gives the song some independence.

Dublagent66 · July 30, 2013, 06:31:10 PM

Fan-fuckin-tastic!

mallorier · July 30, 2013, 09:03:26 PM

Definitely gotta give this song some love...it's a top ten for me. Like a few other posters, this one didn't necessarily grab me at first but grew on me very quickly once it finally clicked and I now feel pretty comfortable saying it's my favorite song on Awake. The slow, dreamy section at 5:00 gets me every time...really, the whole thing is just incredible. It is so so dynamic...okay, I'm tired and my brain is crashing so I'm just gonna quit while I'm behind and just say this song is freaking rad

FourthHorseman · July 30, 2013, 10:46:16 PM

To me, this song epitomizes everything that's great about Awake.

Fantastic lyrics, atmospheric keyboards, heavy riffage, and incredible gritty vocals from LaBrie.

puppyonacid · July 31, 2013, 06:40:21 AM

*snip*

Joshin U · July 31, 2013, 06:58:13 AM

Quote from: TheGreatPretender on July 30, 2013, 04:15:09 PM
Quote from: Metropolis1928 on July 30, 2013, 04:07:38 PM
My second favourite in Awake (after Scarred). Incredible song.

One of the only things that I would criticise is that sometimes I would like this song to be a stand alone so it could have it's own intro and outro (like in OIALT) and when I only want to listen to Voices it doesn't sound a little 'incomplete'. And sometimes not, because Erotomania and TSM are awesome too.

I totally agree with you on that. That's pretty much what deterred me from listening to it for the longest time (mostly because I'm not very fond of Erotomania). But I edited Voices in such a way that it sounds more or less stand-alone now, basically starting it off with the drums, and fading it on the outro. It's not perfect, but it gives the song some independence.

I'm not quite sure what y'all mean. When I listen to it by itself, it seems to stand perfectly well on its own.

Laich21DT · July 31, 2013, 11:06:31 AM

Quote from: Sycsa on July 30, 2013, 08:16:49 AM"Thought disorder, dream control"

What? He clearly says "Fuck this whore, drink a troll". Oops, wrong thread.

Anyway, "Voices" is one of my favorite DT songs. Probably my favorite Petrucci solo as well. My favorite part is "Maybe I'm just Cassandra bleeding" the riffage under that is just awesome. That part gives me a boner every time. I also like the more relaxed part leading up to the solo, for example when James sings "I'm lying here in bed...".

News:

"Voices" Appreciation Thread