The Bigger Picture

[KevShmev]

Now that the album is out, this song deserves its own thread. 

Helluva song, yes?  I think so.

[serrano]

This was the first highlight in the album for me, just awesome. JP's lead is just beautiful, can't get the melody out of my head. Great song!

[adastra]

Amazing song! Only thing I don't like is the chorus that ends saying "The Bigger picture"    Singing the song title in the last line of chorus seems to be some kind of theme on DT12.

[theanalogkid7]

This was the first song on the album that made me stop and really listen.  It is really awesome.  JLB's vocal melody at the end is SO COOL.

[Mosh]

This was the first highlight in the album for me, just awesome. JP's lead is just beautiful, can't get the melody out of my head. Great song!

I'm not completely sure, but it sounds like it is the melody from Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. Almost note for note, but with slightly different rhythms.

[Ben_Jamin]

I SWEAR THIS SONG.

The entire album is beyond my expectations

[aprilethereal]

Fantastic song, my favourite tied with AFTR
The chorus is one of the best they have ever done, and the fact that it's played instrumentally as an intro to the song, before the music gets a lot more "ballad-ish" really reminds me of TMOLS.

[Saxman]

Definitely my favorite song on the album from the first time I played it.

[eviljust]

The song I'm listening to more. Great lyrics and there's an emotional vibe that blew my mind.

[?]

One of the best on the album, although I think the second verse could've been less busy. JP's solo =

[The Stray Seed]

The song I'm listening to more. Great lyrics and there's an emotional vibe that blew my mind.

Absolutely. This track has something special to it. My favorite song on the album together with IT.

[Dreamer81]

For me was immediately one of the highlights of the album....amazing...

[chaotic_ripper]

Shed your light on me...

[wolfking]

One of the best on the album, although I think the second verse could've been less busy. JP's solo =

The heavy ass verse is actually my favourite part of the song.

[Megabreath]

I was so surprised that the song was almost 8 mins long, it felt about 5 mins to me.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

[Prog Snob]

This definitely might be my favorite song on the CD but it is still too early to tell. The verse after the solo is amazing!

[Ultimetalhead]

Firmly rooted just barely below Illumination Theory for me as the best song on the album. The main chorus is fantastic already, but they absolutely knocked it out of the park with the outro.

[Tom Bombadil]

Easily my favorite song on the album. I have a feeling when the dust settles it'll be in my top 15 DT songs. Blows my mind every time.

[adamack]

I was so surprised that the song was almost 8 mins long, it felt about 5 mins to me.

Absolutely! Also, IlluminationTheory feels like it's more like 14 minutes to me for whatever reason. I guess that's a good thing...time files when you're having fun.

TBP is one of my favorites on the album. As some have mentioned, it is the first song (when streaming the album) which really hit home for me, other than the previously released TEI and AFtR.

I remember being disappointed with TLG, then being very underwhelmed on the first listen of FAS and TEM. So at that point, I was starving for something great. TBP was that song...it gave me hope for the rest of the album, and it was all magic from the moment it came on all the way until the end of IT. 

[JoeG]

Third favorite on the album for me right now, slightly trailing Surrender to Reason and Illumination Theory. It's a brilliant song. The vocals make the song for me, I absolutely LOVE the phrasing in the final part.

[Dacling]

I have only heard it once. The first half was just alright on my first listen but the second half was fantastic. I'm sure it will grow on me but that was my initial impression. That was the only part of the album I thought was just alright though.

[Systematik88]

I have only heard it once. The first half was just alright on my first listen but the second half was fantastic. I'm sure it will grow on me but that was my initial impression. That was the only part of the album I thought was just alright though.

I feel the same way. I bet it will change but that last half is perfect!

[DP_Gumby]

I love the finale from "You look but cannot see" and out to the final note.   

It might just be one of the (many) clear highlights of the album, for me. 

[Dacling]

Also did anyone else get a classic prog vibe at the end

"You look but cannot see
Talk but never speak
You live but cannot breathe
See but don’t believe

Wounds that never heal
A heart that cannot feel
A dream that’s all too real
A stare as cold as steel

I've listened to the stories of resentment and disdain
I've looked into the empty eyes of anger, fear, and shame
I've taken blood from every stone
And traveled every road

When I see the distant lights illuminate the night
Then I will know I am home"

The way Labrie sings these lines reminds me of some band but I can't quite put my finger on it.

[gmillerdrake]

Incredible song.....I could rank this song and about 4 others as my favorite on the album.





And Kev.......clean out your PM box,  want to make sure we're grabbing some wings this Thursday or not?

[KevShmev]

Oh, shoot  ...done!

[chaotic_ripper]

Also did anyone else get a classic prog vibe at the end

"You look but cannot see
Talk but never speak
You live but cannot breathe
See but don't believe

Wounds that never heal
A heart that cannot feel
A dream that's all too real
A stare as cold as steel

I've listened to the stories of resentment and disdain
I've looked into the empty eyes of anger, fear, and shame
I've taken blood from every stone
And traveled every road

When I see the distant lights illuminate the night
Then I will know I am home"

The way Labrie sings these lines reminds me of some band but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Reminds me of Genesis and old school Marillion

[Mebert78]

The guitar solo in "The Bigger Picture" was improvised and done on the first take!

Link: https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/dream-theater-releases-new-album-and-concert-film-1.6091434

"This time, a lot of those performances were improvised," Petrucci says, adding that his impressive guitar solo in "The Bigger Picture" was a first take. "It's what I played when we were writing the song. We were able to do a lot more of that kind of thing. It's pretty cool. The songs breathe more. They have more of a personality."

[m0hawk]

This was EXACTLY the type of song that I wanted from the band. An emotional, guitar-driven,  Surrounded-esque ballad.

DREAM CHEYATER. SO POWERFUL. EMOTIONAL. SO ENERGY. SO POWER!

[hefdaddy42]

Fantastic song, probably my favorite on the album at this point.

[Phoenix87x]

Excellent song, which is consistency good from beginning to end. Also, it has a great flow for being almost an 8 minute song. 

[Nearmyth]

The vocals are definitely the key and essence to this song. JLB is great on this, it's a very beautiful song. The outro is one of the best moments on the album. Also, "With every treasure found, another ship wrecks washed ashore." Is badass

[Dacling]

Also did anyone else get a classic prog vibe at the end

"You look but cannot see
Talk but never speak
You live but cannot breathe
See but don't believe

Wounds that never heal
A heart that cannot feel
A dream that's all too real
A stare as cold as steel

I've listened to the stories of resentment and disdain
I've looked into the empty eyes of anger, fear, and shame
I've taken blood from every stone
And traveled every road

When I see the distant lights illuminate the night
Then I will know I am home"

The way Labrie sings these lines reminds me of some band but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Reminds me of Genesis and old school Marillion

It's Marillion's Sugar Mice. Finally figured it out.

[elvenshadow]

I love the outro but am I the only one that feels like it would be better if after that there was just a soft piano part to end the song? Feels like it ends abruptly to me.