A Better Life appreciation thread

[KevShmev]

This song kind of lost in the mix for me at first, since it was surrounded by songs I liked a lot more, but as time has gone on, I have really grown to like this song a ton. It has a great overall vibe, some wonderful melodies, plenty of tasty guitar work, and one of the many great mellow moments on this record.

Time for some appreciation.

[Ben_Jamin]

I recently just heard the high pitch backing vocals during "this is the moment, now is the time." They sound pretty cool and tight followed by "freedom if we live or if we die."

I enjoy this song a lot, not bad. I enjoy a lot of these songs.

[ariich]

EVANGELINE

[MirrorMask]

One of the very best songs of the lot, if not the very best at all. The melanchonic intro, the contrast with the hitting verses and the more soaring and anthemic chorus, it all flows greatly and makes for a memorable and concise songs, that gets only better and very emotional during Arhys' reminiscence of his wife, bringing the song to a powerful ending with the motivation that leads Arhys' action explained.

That was the long comment about the song, the short one obviously would have been just

EVANGELINE

[Logain Ablar]

Love it, love it. Simple as that.. 

[BlobVanDam]

The first 2 and a half minutes are dead weight, so I always skip to the guitar solo. But from there on, it's quite awesome though.

[bosk1]

This song kind of lost in the mix for me at first, since it was surrounded by songs I liked a lot more, but as time has gone on, I have really grown to like this song a ton. It has a great overall vibe, some wonderful melodies, plenty of tasty guitar work, and one of the many great mellow moments on this record.

Time for some appreciation.

I posted similar thoughts not long ago (I think it was in the general TA thread).  This was not a standout song to me at first, but MAN has it grown on me.  One of my favorites on the album for sure.  There is so much going on in such a short timespan.  And I love the first Evangeline theme that shows up here.  I think that as far as characters' musical themes go, Evangeline has the best. 

[pdurbin22]

One of my favorites for sure.

[oceanic156]

This song rules, and it really manages to pack a sense of urgency and some stellar hooks into 4 minutes. Proof for me that the band has rediscovered how to make fantastic shorter tracks after stumbling a bit on SC and BC&SL.

[hefdaddy42]

Well, hell, it's really good.

[Enigmachine]

The best DT song shorter than 5 mins IMO. Superb way to build up Arhys' character.

Also goes well with The Answer, with both of those being a 'brothers of Ravenskill' thing, juxtaposing their different struggles yet both talking about Gabriel's gift.

The first 2 and a half minutes are dead weight, so I always skip to the guitar solo. But from there on, it's quite awesome though.

omg no. The first 2 minutes are emotional as hell. Constantly building tension towards the chorus then turns it up two notches with "FREEDOM IF WE LIVE OR IF WE DIE!" then the guitar solo being an epic release.

[bosk1]

The first 2 and a half minutes are dead weight, so I always skip to the guitar solo. But from there on, it's quite awesome though.

omg no. The first 2 minutes are emotional as hell. Constantly building tension towards the chorus then turns it up two notches with "FREEDOM IF WE LIVE OR IF WE DIE!" then the guitar solo being an epic release.

Agreed.  And beside the fact that the music, lyrics, and vocal melodies are top notch, it is crucial from a lyrical standpoint in giving us anything resembling the struggle between the militia and the GNEA to latch onto emotionally.  It is touched on in a few other places, but without this section, the struggle that underpins the entire storyline falls flat.

[BlobVanDam]

The first 2 and a half minutes are dead weight, so I always skip to the guitar solo. But from there on, it's quite awesome though.

omg no. The first 2 minutes are emotional as hell. Constantly building tension towards the chorus then turns it up two notches with "FREEDOM IF WE LIVE OR IF WE DIE!" then the guitar solo being an epic release.

I don't find them emotional, and there are some distracting weak lyrics. Musically it's fine, but it definitely lets down the strength of the second half of the song. It's just..... there. Nothing more, nothing less imo.

[bosk1]

there are some distracting weak lyrics

No there aren't.

[BlobVanDam]

there are some distracting weak lyrics

No there aren't.

You have your opinion, I have mine, both equally valid. No point going in circles over it.

[bosk1]

That's fine.  But your opinion is wrong and mine isn't.  That is valid.  No point going in circles over it.

[BlobVanDam]

Humor or trolling, not sure which. Either way, amusing.

[hefdaddy42]

 

[vazquez]

Beautiful song! 

[KevShmev]

Some of these posts do not sound like appreciation for this tune...

[Kotowboy]

The lyric " I will give him a better life, I swore this vow to my dying wife, sure she would not survive. "

I don't get it.

He made the vow because he knew she wouldn't survive ?

[Enigmachine]

The lyric " I will give him a better life, I swore this vow to my dying wife, sure she would not survive. "

I don't get it.

He made the vow because he knew she wouldn't survive ?

I think those thoughts aren't connected.

[Dream Team]

The lyric " I will give him a better life, I swore this vow to my dying wife, sure she would not survive. "

I don't get it.

He made the vow because he knew she wouldn't survive ?

Dying in childbirth. Blood loss was massive and fatal.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I voted for "A Better Life" as one of my ten favorite songs off of TA the other day. Awesome tune!

[ReaPsTA]

I love how Arthys refers to his brother as his secret ammunition. Shows the complexity of his motivations.

[smegolas]

one of the best.  the pinch harmonic-y chords in beginning are just deadly.  this is another one of those songs that goes from mellow to heavy to mellow to heavy just flawlessly (ravenskill being the best example). 

i always liked the line "yes you bet your life!"  and when they launch into "evangeline", well, what can one say?

[senecadawg2]

This was my favorite song on the album when I first heard it. Evangeline... is my favorite single moment on the album. Stuck in my head now, just thinking about it, and I haven't even listened to it in a couple weeks.

[SebastianPratesi]

one of the best.  the pinch harmonic-y chords in beginning are just deadly.  this is another one of those songs that goes from mellow to heavy to mellow to heavy just flawlessly (ravenskill being the best example). 

i always liked the line "yes you bet your life!"  and when they launch into "evangeline", well, what can one say?

I usually go with "you lived a life of misery and pain".

[ariich]

The lyric " I will give him a better life, I swore this vow to my dying wife, sure she would not survive. "

I don't get it.

He made the vow because he knew she wouldn't survive ?

Correct.

[Bill]

EVANGELINE

Yep, that refrain is the defining moment for me in this song - sublime.

[pcs90]

I put this in my top 10 songs on the album and I'm pretty sure it would be in my top 5 if I were to try and rank them. The guitar solo here is my favorite on the whole album...perfect mix of technical and melodic ideas...and the rest of the song has such a beautiful emotional build-up.
The first half is also great however. I can see why people would prefer the second half of it, but I definitely don't skip anything on this.

[Estiui]

I like the first 2 minutes even better than the EVANGELINE part, which I already love. Second best song in the album for me, after Three Days.