Along for the Ride Discussion Thread

[The Boomr]

I agree. Hardly similar.

I don't have a problem with using the same keyboard patch at all but there are obvious similarities.
Compare AFTR 2:58 - 3:01 to BTS 3:27 - 3:29 and it should be audible even for the most ignorant of ears.

The first few notes of the guitar solo in TEI are equally reminiscent of the OTBOA guitar solo though it continues along another path. The AFTR solo is also nice but you can't deny there are similarities.

Greetings...
Nef

So, the entire solo is similar/a nod-back/whatever, just because 3 seconds of it have like, one note that makes a similar bending motion to the next note? Jordan has pitch-bending ability and he likes to use it. Doesn't bother me. And I've listened to both solos back to back and I cannot agree that there is so much similarity that this absolutely must be a call-back or anything like that. Or much similarity at all other than the fact it's a Moog.

[ResultsMayVary]

Couldn't agree more. I think its absolutely ridiculous.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

RICHARD CHYCKI WHY U NO GIVE VOLUME TO JAMES' VOCAL HARMONIES AT THE END CHORUS

I mean, they are completely awesome, and they just lie back there.

[Kotowboy]

Suddenly the Dramatic Turn drum mix doesn't sound so bad.

[Outcrier]

What the hell happened to my favourite band? Really didnt like this new one. I liked the enemy inside a lot apart from some sounds Jordan used - I got totally flamed for that haha but again this JR solo stinks for me.  My wife walked in during the solo and to quote her "whats this? It sounds like a shitty 80s computer game"
I didnt like any of the last album - i just wish DT had taken the extended break that Portnoy suggested (and not left) They just seem so uninspiring these days.

There i said it. Flame on!

I agree with "they just seem so uninspiring these days" (which is normal, happens to most bands that have a long career like DT) but just wait till your hear the fuckin' album.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Suddenly the Dramatic Turn mix doesn't sound so bad.

[PixelDream]

Suddenly the Dramatic Turn mix doesn't sound so bad.

Touché.

[Lowdz]

What does it get anyone about complaining about something they can never change? Nothing! Or as my mom said "If you don't have something nice to say, say nothing at all".

I've been a guitarist since 1976 and I've never been overly critical to what bands put out. I either like it or don't, it's their music. Could I name 5 songs off the last 3 DT before MP left? Probably not, so for me I'm reenergized about DT having changes in drummers and musical style. I feel like I did during the 90's DT period, all tingly inside like a kid again.

The internet would be a quiet place 

[JRuless]

Sometimes it's like reading posts from a general music forum.  Maybe DT is a difficult band to be a fan of, it's hard for me to read some of this harsh opinions. Moog solo from Rudess uninspired, copied or awful sounding? i like a more basic moogsound too, but its his choice and fitting the song as it does on BTS.

I like both TEI and AFTR a lot and I think it's DT in all its glory. Petrucci riffing & MM madness. Cant wait to hear 68 minutes of 2013th best prog.

[rush-signals]

The internet would be a quiet place 

LOL and peaceful! 

[Jaffa]

And boring as cardboard, if you ask me. 

[snapple]

I read this somewhere

"ALSO WTF IS WRONG WITH THOSE PSEUDOSOUNDENGINEERS? EVERY TIME A NEW TRACK IS RELEASED BY SOUNDCLOUD EVERYONE IS LIKE OMG THIS MIX SUX WTF IS WITH THIS SOUND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO MIX PROPERLY SO I GUESS I SHOULD QUIT MY JOB AT BEING INTERNET'S COOLEST SMUG GUY AND START MY THRILING CAREER AS A PRODUCER AND SOUND EGINEER YEAH AND MY FIRST GROUNDBREAKING TECHNIQUE WILL BE USING FLAC FILES IN THE STUDIO INSTED OF MP3, BRACE YOURSELF RICHARD CHIKI "

[Podaar]

 

[krieger]

Snapple, you are completely right. This happens not only with the mix/master question, but also about the song: ah, this solo is just lazy... the vocal is dreadful... the snare is rubbish... yadda yadda yadda...

We are talking about people working day and night in the business for more than 25 years. 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Doesn't matter how much time or effort was put into it. If it's not good, it's not good.

[snapple]

Doesn't matter how much time or effort was put into it. If it's not good, it's not good.

of a soundcloud stream? jesus christ

[krieger]

Doesn't matter how much time or effort was put into it. If it's not good, it's not good.

It's not good for you. For me, it's amazing.

But regardless of what two fans think: I believe it's good FOR THEM. I believe they did, if not exactly what they wanted to, 95% of that. They have the ability to do very close to what they want to do. The snare is [whatever]? The [whatever] is [whatever]? I believe that is the sound they wanted it to have. You don't like? Oh, well... They do.

[Rhayader]

I found the song very boring.

[AngelBack]

Doesn't matter how much time or effort was put into it. If it's not good, it's not good.

It's not good for you. For me, it's amazing.

But regardless of what two fans think: I believe it's good FOR THEM. I believe they did, if not exactly what they wanted to, 95% of that. They have the ability to do very close to what they want to do. The snare is [whatever]? The [whatever] is [whatever]? I believe that is the sound they wanted it to have. You don't like? Oh, well... They do.

Agree with Krieg.  Folks may not like it but it is not because DT are lazy, or uninspired or don't know what they are doing.  It sounds the way they intended.  Some people make it seem like they threw this thing together in a few days and then hired amateurs to finish off the technical side of the production.  If you don't like it, that is one thing.  But I get tired of hearing all the "experts" (who probably could not make a living in the music industry) dissect this thing and point out how much better it would have been if THEY had been making the calls.  Amen.

[425]

Disclaimer: I have not heard Along For the Ride. I have heard The Enemy Inside, but only 3 times in full. This fact is really not relevant to the rest of my post as I state no opinions on either of those songs, I just said it in the interest of full disclosure.

The response among the fanbase to these two songs has told me that DT might be better advised to just stop releasing singles entirely. Honestly.

Yes, it is legitimate to criticize the songs. Yes, it makes sense that the negative comments are louder than the positive comments on these singles. Yes, I realize that probably far more people here liked the song than disliked it (for this reason, instead of using a quantitative term, I will refer to criticism as being "loud").

But really, it's embarrassing to the band that a vast number of the comments from fans are negative. That the comment section on the Grammys website is filled with negative comments about the song. That the thread dedicated to the song on the band's most loyal fansite is filled with negative comments about the song. The intention of a single is to promote the new album, and negative comments on a major (non-DT oriented) music website from self-proclaimed long-time fans of the band is counterproductive to that end.

I only hope the guys aren't reading stuff to the effect that, for example, they (Jordan) "ruined" a song by using a certain tone on a solo. I'm sure they've seen worse, but still, it has to be rough for them.

It is true that this is probably an inevitable part of releasing a single. Disappointed fans are still hopeful that the rest of the album will be to their liking so they stick around to make negative comments. There's a lot of conjecture and jumping to conclusions. Just the fact that there's just one song means that it's a manageable amount of music for the listeners to dissect in their critique.

Perhaps if they released no music prior to the album's release, response would be less negative. For one thing, a whole album is likely to have a greater diversity in style, so fans who dislike the straight-ahead metal of The Enemy Inside are more likely to hear something on the album to praise. Also, an album is a lot more music to digest than one song, so anyone wishing to nitpick would have to hear the album several times first, unintentionally giving it a chance to grow. Remember that noxon said in his review that he did not like the new album at all when he first heard it, but it improved significantly for him on repeat listens.

Of course, the smart decision is still to release singles, because they can promote them through avenues (like USAToday or the Grammys) that would capture an audience not normally tuned to prog metal. It does far more to promote the album than the sometimes rude comments of nitpicking fans does against that end.

This whole post was just based on a thought I'd had while reading this thread interpersed with various Top 50 Songs countdowns. I was struck by how loud the criticism of the new song was while the writers of these countdown threads sing the praises of familiar ones. I thought perhaps if no singles were released, this criticism would be quieter (or relegated to specific threads, like a "Production quality of the new album thread," that would be read only by those who care about those particular issues) and there would be far more praise. Of course this is just a hypothetical that never would happen, but I just wanted to put out my thoughts on the issue of criticism of singles.

[jayvee3]

A lot of the discussion makes me happy that I am waiting for the album to hear this one. I touched on it earlier, that many of their more ballad based songs, often serve as a breather after a string of a heavier or proggy run of tracks, and before another major tune.Some of the folk struggling to get their head around this one may consider -  If wait for sleep, vacant, far from heaven or even closers like BTS or Disappear were released by themselves, I would imagine many would've been left scratching their heads. But in the album context, they are often welcome as a well needed breather and change of pace. And hence, can actually help enjoy the song more, or see it in a different light.

Regardless, the discussion has very much got me excited for the album, and I'm really looking forward to the song in both sound and placement within the album! :-)

And 425 - fantastic post my friend! :-)

[dongringo]

425 I couldn't agree more. Its embarrasing.

[jayvee3]

*whoops, double post

[Kotowboy]

The Enemy Inside sounded amazing. I really hope it's just the stream that's making the cymbals vanish.

fingers crossed

[As I Am]

IMO, AFTR is just a regurgitation of Beneath The Surface. Completely uninspired, mundane and boring. What has happened to the band I loved since '95?

[King Postwhore]

Are people that deaf to think this sound sounds similar to BTS?!

Like it or not it's not even close.

[RMGadelha]

I think if one of the songs had a sitar, people would be like: LULZ OMG, COPY PASTE FROM HOME HAR HAR.

[krieger]

Not even close... people are strange...   

[AngelBack]

Are people that deaf to think this sound sounds similar to BTS?!

Like it or not it's not even close.

Agreed, not even close.  Good thing some of these folks were not around during the 70s.  ELP and Yes would never stand a chance.  The thought that because Jordan used a similar tone for the solo in the two songs is because he could not come up with anything else and that therefore the songs are the same is baffling to me.

[Jaffa]

Yeah, the moog soloes are similar in that they're both moog soloes, but beyond that, I'm really not getting any kind of BTS vibe from this song.

The TITL comparison makes a bit more sense to me. 

[GasparXR]

Are people that deaf to think this sound sounds similar to BTS?!

Like it or not it's not even close.

Agreed, not even close.  Good thing some of these folks were not around during the 70s.  ELP and Yes would never stand a chance.  The thought that because Jordan used a similar tone for the solo in the two songs is because he could not come up with anything else and that therefore the songs are the same is baffling to me.

What's what people usually refer to as prog-snobby. They might as well complain that each song on the album has the same 5 band members in them.

[As I Am]

Are people that deaf to think this sound sounds similar to BTS?!

Like it or not it's not even close.

Agreed, not even close.  Good thing some of these folks were not around during the 70s.  ELP and Yes would never stand a chance. 

Uh...was around in the 70's and absolutely LOVE(D) and still love ELP & Yes, so there goes that wasted theory. I don't mean it "sounds" the same as BTS (which I loved, BTW), it's the breathy vocals, the same sentiment, basically NOTHING NEW!

THIS IS NOT the DT I signed up for! If I want mainstream pop ballads, there's millions of places to go for that. DT "was" one of a kind. No More!

[Shadow2222]

Are people that deaf to think this sound sounds similar to BTS?!

Like it or not it's not even close.

Agreed, not even close.  Good thing some of these folks were not around during the 70s.  ELP and Yes would never stand a chance. 

Uh...was around in the 70's and absolutely LOVE(D) and still love ELP & Yes, so there goes that wasted theory. I don't mean it "sounds" the same as BTS (which I loved, BTW), it's the breathy vocals, the same sentiment, basically NOTHING NEW!

THIS IS NOT the DT I signed up for! If I want mainstream pop ballads, there's millions of places to go for that. DT "was" one of a kind. No More!

Geez. You do realize that JP has said that this is as close to a ballad as it gets for the album? Obviously you want another balls out album (hence your username) like Train of Thought. If they would have released Vacant as a single from ToT would you have been freaking out like this?

[RMGadelha]

Lmfao.

[Jaffa]

As I Am, might I suggest taking a deep breath or two?