DT 1-2 punch, Part II

[cygnusx1jg]

Based on some comments on the first one, I'm thinking this one will be a lot closer.

[GasparXR]

SFAM and SDOIT as I said in the other thread. Each pair is just as consistent, but I like these albums a bit better.

[bl5150]

I&W and Awake and by further this time.

[jakepriest]

SFAM > SDOIT > Awake > ToT > ADToE > I&W

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Still the same.

[cygnusx1jg]

IMO the order would be:

SFAM(10) > SDOIT(9.9) > I&W(9.7) = ADToE(9.7) > Awake(9.5) > ToT(7.5)

[?]

Awake > I&W > 6D > Scenes

Easy choice.

[mikeyd23]

I would have to go with SFAM and SDOIT.  On any given day I would list I&W, SFAM, and SDOIT as my top three DT albums.  Where each album falls in my top three depends on the day, so all three are considered great in my mind.  Awake does fall lower in my rankings, and therefore pulls the I&W/Awake pairing below the SFAM/SDOIT pairing.

I'm curious to see how the voting goes for this one... I have a feeling it might be pretty close.

[Siddhartha]

SFAM SDOIT by far.

[OsMosis2259]

SFAM SDOIT

[tofee35]

SFAM and SDOIT cannot be beat. The musicianship, concepts, variety, production quality, hooks, creativity all go to SFAM and SDOIT. In my book it isn't close.

-Tof

[j]

I&W and Awake by a long shot.

-J

[Tom Bombadil]

Awake and I&W. Still not even close.

[Laughingplace56]

SFAM and SDOIT are my favorite albums, Awake, I&W and DT12 are somewhere (along with ToT) in the 3-6 range, and ADToE is 7. So the pairings for me go

SFAM/SDOIT
I&W/Awake
DT12/ADToE

Love all 6 albums, but SFAM/SDOIT are unbeatable in my eyes.

[Nekov]

SFAM & SDOIT, both top 3 albums.

[Kotowboy]

No Contest for me. Awake is boring and SFAM - SDOIT are the two best albums besides Octavarium for me.

[krands85]

I&W and Awake by a long shot.

-J

This. Images and Words is my favourite album ever and while I prefer Scenes to Awake, 6D has never really clicked for me.

I&W>>>Scenes>>Awake>>>>>>>6D

[KevShmev]

I&W and Scenes are basically 2a and 2b for me, as far as DT albums go.

But Awake is numero uno, while 6DOIT is 4th, so the first option gets the nod.

[Dark Castle]

First option, that was easy.

6 Degrees is cool and all, but I don't get why it's regarded as their best. First disc has a lot of filler, and 6 Degrees the song is such a chore to listen through all the way.

[Jaffa]

Gonna have to go with SFAM and SDOIT.  It always pains me to vote against Images and Words, which is definitely my favorite DT album, but SFAM and SDOIT are third and fourth in my rankings, while Awake is probably sixth or seventh.  On average, and in terms of overall consistency, the second group wins for me. 

[jakepriest]

First disc has a lot of filler

No.

[Jaffa]

I don't know if I would exactly call it 'filler', but I could definitely live without The Great Debate. 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

.....ARE YOU JUSTIFIED?!

[Kotowboy]

Not sure how an album of 5 tracks can have a "lot" of filler

And The Great Debate is amazing.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Well, if one track were filler, then it would be a lot of filler, since the tracks are generally quite long.

I don't think SDOIT really has any filler, though.

[Dark Castle]

Not sure how an album of 5 tracks can have a "lot" of filler

And The Great Debate is amazing.

Well if you look at it like that, then yeah, but if you go beyond "lol only 5 tracks" there's obviously a shit ton of music in those 5 tracks. And I find a lot of it passable.

[bl5150]

I agree - if I could split the 2 SDOIT discs in my rankings then Disc 1 would be right near the bottom of DT's catalogue for me.  Great musicianship and progressiveness but so different to the DT music I really love (all the above + big melodies).  It's always interesting to see how so many of us agree wholeheartedly on one album (I&W for example - for the most part) and then totally different on others.

[Outcrier]

Fab four hm... I voted for SFAM-SDOIT based on personal enjoyment but IAW-Awake are even greater maybe.

[CharlesPL]

I&W/Awake

[Saxman]

Awake is my favorite DT album, and I&W is almost just as good. 

[bosk1]

Sorry, I&W and Awake.  You are now 0-2. 

[Daso]

I'm actually surprised at seeing SFAM/SDOIT winning the poll, but I've been seeing a lot of people pick those over I&W and Awake a lot recently, too.

I went with I&W/Awake. SFaM and SDoIT are both great albums and I believe that DT's sound after those two albums became different versions of what was done in those albums (whether it was heavier, more pop, more prog, more melodic or whatever). Both are incredibly cohesive and have some of DT's best pieces. That said, I&W is, for me, a legendary album, and it's quite difficult for any album to reach that status for me. All the songs are incredibly inspired, fresh sounding, meaningful, greatly composed and innovating (at least at that point). Awake holds a similar position for me, so the choice wasn't really difficult. All four are great, though.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

SFAM is one of the greatest albums ever made. As is I&W really, but not quite as good. Awake is great, but SDOIT is my #3 DT album, so I'm going with SFAM/SDOIT here.

[BlobVanDam]

SFAM and SDOIT are DT's two best albums, and just about untouchable at this point, so that choice easily. IaW is very close behind them, but Awake isn't even in the running here.

[son_ov_hades]

Scenes From A Memory is just slightly better than Images And Words, but Awake blows Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence away. All four fantastic albums though.