DT15: A View From The Top Of The World (Timeline for DT15)

[kirksnosehair]

As others have said, though, there is really only so much self-serving the band themselves can do without it backfiring on them.  If all they ever say when they finish recording and mixing each album is "It's the greatest thing since the wheel!" their hype will be meaningless.  But none of them ever pour it on that thickly, which I think works to their advantage here because it imbues a bit more credibility in what they're actually saying about it. 


Besides, when was the last time you saw an artist say, "Yeah, well, we've done better before but this album should be OK, I guess."

[MirrorMask]

Besides, when was the last time you saw an artist say, "Yeah, well, we've done better before but this album should be OK, I guess."

Actually I'd love an artist to be so confident in the new material to purposedly say this, and then have the fans floored by an absolutely fantastic album.

No label however would stand for this "prank", gotta sell.

[Ben_Jamin]

Besides, when was the last time you saw an artist say, "Yeah, well, we've done better before but this album should be OK, I guess."

Actually I'd love an artist to be so confident in the new material to purposedly say this, and then have the fans floored by an absolutely fantastic album.

No label however would stand for this "prank", gotta sell.

They sell, based on Expectations. It's why the label has them hype it up, to give the people high expectations, that when it is released, they will buy it because they are expecting whatever the artist tells them. Some people even start forming their own expectations for the new album, and that is their fault of their own if they create these expectations that the artists did not say at all.

At the time, the new album, is the best they have done or as close as they could get due to the timelines set by the label. It's how bands early releases are more well thought out because they have no deadlines.

As you become more of a business than a band, you have deadlines to meet, so the label can plan marketing, the tour, get the venues situated, get the video shoots set up, and when to send them to radio stations. After all that, the band is usually rehearsing for the tour, which is planned when the album is being made.

It's a lot that goes into an album and tour, besides making the music.

But now, there is no touring plans, so they have all the time to make the album. And it could be how JR seized the opportunity to create new sounds with Jimmy T.

[Architeuthis]

They also have their own studio now, so they don't have the clock ticking over their heads adding pressure to get things done. 

[Ben_Jamin]

They also have their own studio now, so they don't have the clock ticking over their heads adding pressure to get things done.

Exactly, OWNING their own studio, helps immensely. And also, the label won't spend time and effort to look for a studio to book them to record.

I am more excited to hear these new sounds that JR has come up with. That alone will change the sound of Dream Theater, and here's hoping for some fantastic songs that are new to the Dream Theater sound palette.

[the_silent_man]

I too am also interested in some of the new sounds being discussed, however I must admit I don't think they'll be reinventing the wheel at this stage and produce anything particularly revolutionary. I am expecting the core DT sound with a few twists - as it has been on the last few albums. Any other expectation I think is just going to end in disappointment.

The only thing I am hoping for is a return to some longer songs that play to DTs core strengths. Whilst I have really enjoyed some of the last few albums (in particular DOT, which I think nailed the 'shorter' song approach - largely due to a plethora of great riffs), some of these later albums have felt a bit "Dream Theater-lite".

[AboutToCrash]

In regards to "the best album ever" discussion... anyone who's composed music on here will agree that when you create a new track you often feel it's the best piece of work you've done, until the novelty wears off and you have a perspective. So when bands say a new album is their best work I genuinely believe they think that at the time.. mostly due to the adrenaline and excitement of the new idea. I think of it like that as opposed to them overhyping or trying to trick the listener

[Lupton]

How about this for a variation on a theme..

Artiste: "This is probably a really good album we've done and I must admit during the 1st couple of days of mixing I was really excited for people to hear it. But now that we've been mixing the fucking thing for more than a month, I'm sick to death of hearing it over and over and over and over... for fuck's sake make the pain stop!!! Please let me listen to anything else." 

What invariably happens when you commit to mixing your own record.   

[CodyWanKenobi]

The only band I know of who straight says their new album isn't as good as a previous album is Alter Bridge. Mark Tremonti has said on just about every album cycle that although he's really proud of whatever recent album they've just done, it's still not as good as Blackbird. 

[Zydar]

Wow that's refreshing

[WilliamMunny]

In regards to "the best album ever" discussion... anyone who's composed music on here will agree that when you create a new track you often feel it's the best piece of work you've done, until the novelty wears off and you have a perspective. So when bands say a new album is their best work I genuinely believe they think that at the time.. mostly due to the adrenaline and excitement of the new idea. I think of it like that as opposed to them overhyping or trying to trick the listener

This is a great point! I have been guilty of that myself, and have even suffered from the dreaded 'boomerang' effect where once the 'creative adrenaline' where's off, you think that you're most recent whatever is garbage and you need to start all over.

[Dedalus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EArK6g_cALc

JP on DT15 -> 19:21

[SystematicThought]

I'm most excited about JR's new sounds. There's so many times where he'll have a cool sound, and you'll never hear it again. Watch, the first sound we hear on the record is that "snarling pig" sound he's used forever.

Some of my favorite JR patches he's used recently are: The chorus of TCOT, the keyboard in the beginning of AWE, the solo in Beneath the Surface and the mellotron in The Astonishing

[Cool Chris]

I'm most excited about JR's new sounds. There's so many times where he'll have a cool sound, and you'll never hear it again. Watch, the first sound we hear on the record is that "snarling pig" sound he's used forever.

Some of my favorite JR patches he's used recently are: The chorus of TCOT, the keyboard in the beginning of AWE, the solo in Beneath the Surface and the mellotron in The Astonishing

The Beneath the Surface section is a good example of a sound I would prefer he use just that one time. It would make that section all the more special.

I do not care for the snarling pig.

[Architeuthis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EArK6g_cALc

JP on DT15 -> 19:21

That was a great interview!  Thanks for the link. 

[Max Kuehnau]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EArK6g_cALc

JP on DT15 -> 19:21

That was a great interview!  Thanks for the link. 

yes, really a good one IMHO. Nothing new to add to the timeline though, so I didn't include it yet. (or indeed there is and I may have missed some details)

[Zydar]

I didn't know that they had just wrapped up the recordings, though. That means JLB is done with the vocals, and now they're doing the mixing?

[MirrorMask]

I didn't know that they had just wrapped up the recordings, though. That means JLB is done with the vocals, and now they're doing the mixing?

Dunno about mixing but I definitively remember a pic of James on Instagram happy about having concluded his vocals.

[Max Kuehnau]

I didn't know that they had just wrapped up the recordings, though. That means JLB is done with the vocals, and now they're doing the mixing?

Dunno about mixing but I definitively remember a pic of James on Instagram happy about having concluded his vocals.

yes, James finished recording about three weeks ago already. (and I'm sure the interview was done around that time already and only posted recently.)

[jonny108]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EArK6g_cALc

JP on DT15 -> 19:21

"Energy, excitement and positivity..."

Are we getting a happy album?

[Enigmachine]

To be fair, he might mean with regards to the vibe of the performances rather than the tone of the music. A positive tone would kinda make sense though, considering it follows on from the mood of Terminal Velocity and LTE3 (from what we've heard at least).

[MirrorMask]

Well, after all we've been through with the pandemic, I wouldn't mind a more upbeat album and not getting a record full of Disappears, Vacants, Honor Thy Fathers and As I Ams (talking about the mood and the lyrics subject). Images and Words is kinda upbeat and positive and it's their best acclaimed album, so as long as there's not cheese, I welcome a "positive" album, whatever that means (for example I'd consider Barstool Warrior an upbeat tune, even though the lyrics are bittersweet).

[DoctorAction]

I love cheese

[illusionist]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_ilvXOH84

Haven't watched it yet,but it might have important info

[Lonk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_ilvXOH84

Haven't watched it yet,but it might have important info

I'm still listening but the 2 main things I got from this interview is:

1) He described the song with the 8 string as "Mean and with attitude"
2) He said they have the audio recording for TA, but no video.

[Max Kuehnau]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_ilvXOH84

Haven't watched it yet,but it might have important info

I'm still listening but the 2 main things I got from this interview is:

1) He described the song with the 8 string as "Mean and with attitude"
2) He said they have the audio recording for TA, but no video.

one additional detail with the 8 string song: he consciously avoided it being derivative of other 8 string bands (i.e. not just your standard slug-slug sound IIRC. Which is a relief IMHO, because that other stuff already exists.)

[Kotowboy]

Wow that's refreshing

" The New Album? Same old Pub Rock Bollocks. I'd give it 8 out of 10. There's two shit songs on it ".


- Noel Gallagher about Standing on The Shoulder of Giants.

[kirksnosehair]

I love cheese

I've been a fan of cheese since before cream 

[CodyWanKenobi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_ilvXOH84

Haven't watched it yet,but it might have important info

It's weird that JP said they'll discuss "content, and titles, and PERSONNEL" as the album gets closer. Personnel? Like guests? lol what other personnel could he be talking about??

[TAC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_ilvXOH84

Haven't watched it yet,but it might have important info

It's weird that JP said they'll discuss "content, and titles, and PERSONNEL" as the album gets closer. Personnel? Like guests? lol what other personnel could he be talking about??

Producer? Mixer? Technical personnel?

[darkshade]

All current and former DT members appear on DT15. The double secret surprise.

[CodyWanKenobi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b_ilvXOH84

Haven't watched it yet,but it might have important info

It's weird that JP said they'll discuss "content, and titles, and PERSONNEL" as the album gets closer. Personnel? Like guests? lol what other personnel could he be talking about??

Producer? Mixer? Technical personnel?

Yeah in hindsight he probably just meant the mix engineer. Doubt they'd have an outside producer and technical personnel is obviously Jimmy T, Maddi, etc.

[Dedalus]

All current and former DT members appear on DT15. The double secret surprise.

KM would never participate in something so sordid!

[Dedalus]

All current and former DT members appear on DT15. The double secret surprise.

KM would never participate in something so sordid!

I am glad that my 400th post was about KM. 

[HOF]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EArK6g_cALc

JP on DT15 -> 19:21

"Energy, excitement and positivity..."

Are we getting a happy album?

DT does power pop!