Surrender To Reason Appreciation

[TAC]

Well, it finally happened.....

I just had my first goosebump moment with this album.. It just occurred when James sang "Let love lead the way.."

I rank DT 12 at this point either #5 or maybe #6 on my rankings, but this album feels like it may climb even higher. Been listening to it exclusively for the last two weeks, and it is just now all starting to sink in.

Surrender To Reason is my favorite song on the album so far.

[ariich]

A great song with fine lyrics by Myung. The Restless Angels section is the highlight, along with the solo after the first chorus. A Top 3 song from this album.

This is correct.

This song definitely reminds me the most of DT's early days out of anything else on the album. The way the song is written is very unusual structurally - the opening Rush-esque stuff just disappears once the song gets going, but returns right at the end. It also seems to jump from one idea to the next (or at least it did on the first couple of listens) but still holds together really nicely. I'm used to DT's music doing that, but when it's in a shorter song like this, it can feel confusing, but here it's lovely.

[Ħ]

I'm really having trouble getting this song. It's got a very complicated structure with lots of very weird jarring elements. I don't dislike the song, but I still don't know exactly what I'm listening to.

[zjacobs]

Best song on the album, I really love it!

[Outcrier]

This song definitely reminds me the most of DT's early days out of anything else on the album. The way the song is written is very unusual structurally - the opening Rush-esque stuff just disappears once the song gets going, but returns right at the end. It also seems to jump from one idea to the next (or at least it did on the first couple of listens) but still holds together really nicely. I'm used to DT's music doing that, but when it's in a shorter song like this, it can feel confusing, but here it's lovely.

Agreed with pretty much all. Definitely reminds me of DT early days (this and some parts of The Looking Glass) and it holds together, flows nice and don't feel forced overall.

[Daso]

One of my three favorite songs on the album since round 1. It is the first time I find a song that made me feel like this upon the first listen. I knew I was listening to something great, I knew it was the kind of thing I enjoy listening to, but at the same time there was something I wasn't quite catching up with, and even with it being among my favorites, I knew I wasn't enjoying it as much as I should. I was hoping to listen to something else at first, even though I could recognize how great it was.

After a few listens I got used to it and forgot any former criticism though  I love that the song is so all over the place, there is a lot of very different parts that could seem unrelated, yet it keeps it short, cohesive and interesting. Excellent MM performance as well.

[1neeto]

A late grower for me but now one of my favorites. That riff and JLB's performance is amazing. It also reminds me a whole lot of BITS, that melody is very similar but in a good way. This song has been moving up from close to last to right there on the top 3 fighting a hard fight against EM, BTV, and IT.

[BelichickFan]

Much to my surprise this is now my favorite track other than Illumination Theory.  I didn't find it particularly good or melodic at first but it has really grown on me.  The track itself is tremendous and I love the beauty of Myung's lyrics on this one.

[adamack]

During the Q&A, I believe two band members listed this song as one of the songs they are most enjoying listening to at this time.

I could have sworn that 2 members said STR as well! I was trying to recall it in my head, but I had to refer back to the vid. For those wondering, here are the songs which the members of DT said they currently gravitate toward:

JP: TLG
JR: IT
JLB: TBP
MM: STR
JM: TBP

When held against my personal favs, they all have great taste except for JP  (Joking of course)

[MarkFitDT]

This along with The Bigger Picture took the longest time to seep into my brain but now that it has I think its a stunning song. 

[dvargas]

A few things:

I really like this song... I think it's one of the best tracks off DT12.

Let's start with the negative: Don't like the intro and the acoustic verse doesn't add much for me --- The song could've started after that acoustic verse and I would've been OK with it.

But.... BIG BUT....

The instrumental section, particularly during JP's dirty solo is, IMHO MM's best moment on DT12. I just absolutely love his drumming there. Classy, groovy, love it.  I hate to make comparisons, but it's got the same elements that I love from MP during New Millenium's instrumental section - great cymbal work accenting everything.  Anyway I never know if I should pay attention to JM, MM or JP during this section of the song.

Also the first guitar solo is awesome.

Love StR!

[Tom Bombadil]

This is actually one of the few songs on DT12 that hasn't aged well for me so far. I thought it was great at first but now I find myself wanting to skip it as soon as the acoustic section ends (which I still think is an amazing part)

[BlobVanDam]

A few things:

I really like this song... I think it's one of the best tracks off DT12.

Let's start with the negative: Don't like the intro and the acoustic verse doesn't add much for me --- The song could've started after that acoustic verse and I would've been OK with it.

But.... BIG BUT....

The instrumental section, particularly during JP's dirty solo is, IMHO MM's best moment on DT12. I just absolutely love his drumming there. Classy, groovy, love it.  I hate to make comparisons, but it's got the same elements that I love from MP during New Millenium's instrumental section - great cymbal work accenting everything.  Anyway I never know if I should pay attention to JM, MM or JP during this section of the song.

Also the first guitar solo is awesome.

Love StR!

I love the acoustic verse, and it's one of my favourite parts. You can't remove that!
It's nice to just hear JP strumming on an acoustic, with JLB's vocals over the top. Simple and beautiful, and it builds up into the rest of the song nicely.

[Jaq]

I went out with my sister a couple of weeks ago for a birthday dinner-mine, Jaq's getting old-and I took DT12 with me to play on her car's CD player (We have a long running, good natured battle about that, going back to a period in the 90s where she would play country music in my car) and when it got to Surrender to Reason, she looked at the CD player and asked me "did this just turn to a Rush album?" 

Great song. Undeniable Rush vibe at times, especially the second solo, which might as well be the one from Free Will, and JP's tone is amazingly like Alex Lifeson's, great lyrics, and while it has many moments that scream Rush, it's also clearly a DT song. Higher end of the album song for me.

[The Stray Seed]

A few things:

I really like this song... I think it's one of the best tracks off DT12.

Let's start with the negative: Don't like the intro and the acoustic verse doesn't add much for me --- The song could've started after that acoustic verse and I would've been OK with it.

But.... BIG BUT....

The instrumental section, particularly during JP's dirty solo is, IMHO MM's best moment on DT12. I just absolutely love his drumming there. Classy, groovy, love it.  I hate to make comparisons, but it's got the same elements that I love from MP during New Millenium's instrumental section - great cymbal work accenting everything.  Anyway I never know if I should pay attention to JM, MM or JP during this section of the song.

Also the first guitar solo is awesome.

Love StR!

I love the acoustic verse, and it's one of my favourite parts. You can't remove that!
It's nice to just hear JP strumming on an acoustic, with JLB's vocals over the top. Simple and beautiful, and it builds up into the rest of the song nicely.

Agree with you, Blob.

[tiagodon]

I don´t like the song but I love the lyrics. It shows Myung reads a lot, he likes philosophy, he is a liberal and probably an Ayn Rand reader. He really should have more space in DT concerning writing lyrics.
The melody of the song sounds too artificial to me. Seems like it was made to fit the lyrics not the other way around (specially the chorus). But, anyway, it is strong as text, as poetry.

[gmillerdrake]

I don´t like the song but I love the lyrics. It shows Myung reads a lot, he likes philosophy, he is a liberal and probably an Ayn Rand reader. He really should have more space in DT concerning writing lyrics.
The melody of the song sounds too artificial to me. Seems like it was made to fit the lyrics not the other way around (specially the chorus). But, anyway, it is strong as text, as poetry.

Interesting interpretation of Myung's lyrics. To me.....judging not only from this songs lyrics but his entire catalog of lyrical contributions to DT....I don't think there is any question that his lyrics are Christian or 'believer' based.

Whatever his influence one thing is for certain. He is by far the most poetic lyricist in DT and all his songs are 'beautiful'

[theseoafs]

he is a liberal and probably an Ayn Rand reader

You are confused.

[GasparXR]

It's on of my favourites from the album. I tend to feel like this song reminds me of Scarred quite a bit, especially the riff after the acoustic verse (it should be called chorus technically because it uses the chorus chord progression but with different lyrics).

[Lolzeez]

The riff after the chorus is one of the most amazing moments of this year.

[aprilethereal]

The riff after the chorus is one of the most amazing moments of this year.

There are so many absolutely amazing moments in STR (that riff, the acoustic verse/chorus, the vocal melodies, the Restless Angels guitar melody after the first chorus, the chorus in general, Restless Angels), that I seriously have to rethink my rankings.

[1neeto]

he is a liberal and probably an Ayn Rand reader

You are confused.

So much win here. I too was like WTF!

[ariich]

A few things:

I really like this song... I think it's one of the best tracks off DT12.

Let's start with the negative: Don't like the intro and the acoustic verse doesn't add much for me --- The song could've started after that acoustic verse and I would've been OK with it.

But.... BIG BUT....

The instrumental section, particularly during JP's dirty solo is, IMHO MM's best moment on DT12. I just absolutely love his drumming there. Classy, groovy, love it.  I hate to make comparisons, but it's got the same elements that I love from MP during New Millenium's instrumental section - great cymbal work accenting everything.  Anyway I never know if I should pay attention to JM, MM or JP during this section of the song.

Also the first guitar solo is awesome.

Love StR!

I love the acoustic verse, and it's one of my favourite parts. You can't remove that!
It's nice to just hear JP strumming on an acoustic, with JLB's vocals over the top. Simple and beautiful, and it builds up into the rest of the song nicely.

Agreed, it works really well as a first verse, with the second verse being heavier.

I do think the intro is pretty pointless though, which is the only thing holding the song back. I still love it, and it remains my number 3 on the album, but that Rush-esque intro is so irrelevant to the rest of the song.

[Outcrier]

I do think the intro is pretty pointless though, which is the only thing holding the song back. I still love it, and it remains my number 3 on the album, but that Rush-esque intro is so irrelevant to the rest of the song.

Agreed.

[?]

I do think the intro is pretty pointless though, which is the only thing holding the song back. I still love it, and it remains my number 3 on the album, but that Rush-esque intro is so irrelevant to the rest of the song.

Agreed.

[Lolzeez]

I feel like the first minute is just meh. But that's my opinion...

[jakepriest]

Am I the only one who likes the intro, even if it serves no purpose?

[KevShmev]

I think the intro is great.

I also think saying it is pointless or serves no purpose makes little sense.  If the song began with the acoustic verse, it would sound weird, so the intro does serve a purpose.  And does it well.

[efx]

I think the intro (and the way it acts as a bookend at the finish line) is superb.

[m0hawk]

Not a fan of the intro. Then again, I find MOST of Rush's work to be emotionless, so no surprises there. But the solo -> "Restless Angels" 

[mikeyd23]

I really do like the intro of this song.  I feel that the acoustic verse is cool, but it wouldn't be a good way to start the tune.  So the intro serves it's purpose well I think.

Overall, this is a great song, took me a little while to begin to fully appreciate everything thats going on, but I'm getting there!

[OsMosis2259]

I do think the intro is pretty pointless though, which is the only thing holding the song back. I still love it, and it remains my number 3 on the album, but that Rush-esque intro is so irrelevant to the rest of the song.

Agreed.

[GasparXR]

I do think the intro is pretty pointless though, which is the only thing holding the song back. I still love it, and it remains my number 3 on the album, but that Rush-esque intro is so irrelevant to the rest of the song.

Agreed.

But the intro is reprised at the very end of the song. D:

[Jaq]

he is a liberal and probably an Ayn Rand reader

You are confused.

So much win here. I too was like WTF!

Ayn Rand was a pacifist and a supporter of abortion.

Just sayin' 

[Polarbear]

I gotta admit, this is the song that has grown on me the most since the release. This has to be one of the better songs on the album.

Negatives:

- Not a fan of John's guitar work in this track, or in the rest of the album for that matter.
- The intro, as others have said is pretty pointless.

Positives:

- JLB deliver's a damn good performance, he's vocals along MM's drumming is the best thing in this album.
- I'm not completely convinced by MM's drumming yet, but he does a great job.
- Nice lyrics by JMX.

Pretty damn nice song, all things considered!