This or That - DT edition

[Trav]

LTE 1

[Laughingplace56]

Catching up on the last 3:

The Alien> PBD, easily. PBD is very good but hasn't had nearly the same longevity as The Alien has had for me.
Score>Budokan. This one was really tough; I think I prefer Budokan's set list by a hair, but Score is just so epic and I've probably listened to it more than I've listened to Budokan.
LTE2>LTE1. When the Water Breaks is one of my favorite instrumentals of all time, and I like more songs on LTE2 than LTE1.

[TheCountOfNYC]

LTE1. Paradigm Shift is my favorite LTE song.

[JeopardousRaven]

Today we look at two of the biggest fan-favorite live albums: Live at Budokan vs Score

Budokan easily. I was never a huge fan of the Octavarium album and I don't really enjoy the setlist on Score. I think there were a lot of shows on the Octavarium tour with far superior sets like the Chile 2005 show that was filmed. Honestly I prefer Chaos in Motion to Score.

[javidt]

Today we look at two of the biggest fan-favorite live albums: Live at Budokan vs Score

Budokan. The production and direction is much better.  Score picture and sound is too compressed. Maybe in HD would be better.

[cramx3]

Today we look at two of the biggest fan-favorite live albums: Live at Budokan vs Score

Budokan. The production and direction is much better.  Score picture and sound is too compressed. Maybe in HD would be better.

It sucks Score didn't get released on blu-ray, it would have really made the picture and sound soooo much better.  It gets too grainy on DVD.  Budokan eventually got a blu-ray release, but it didn't need it as bad as Score.

[gzarruk]

I would've thought LTE was more popular around these woods

Anyway, here's the updated scoreboard so far:
1. TDEN 9 - 9 S2N
2. SDV 8 - 12 Disappear
3. PBD 7 - 5 TA
4. Budokan 8 - 7 Score
5. LTE (1) 2 - 2 LTE (2)

There's a couple ties in there, so if anyone wants to break them, feel free to do it
I'm also taking suggestions for future rounds, just please no "Portnoy vs Mangini" entries.

For round 6, we'll face the two latest mega epics: Illumination Theory vs A View From The Top of the World

[pg1067]

For round 6, we'll face the two latest mega epics: Illumination Theory vs A View From The Top of the World

IT.  Not close.

[crystalstars17]

For round 6, we'll face the two latest mega epics: Illumination Theory vs A View From The Top of the World

AVFTTOTW.

No. Contest.

[hefdaddy42]

For round 6, we'll face the two latest mega epics: Illumination Theory vs A View From The Top of the World

I really like AVFTTOTW, but it isn't in the same league as IT.

[geeeemo]

For round 6, we'll face the two latest mega epics: Illumination Theory vs A View From The Top of the World

I really like AVFTTOTW, but it isn't in the same league as IT.

IT. a top DT song for me. I really enjoy AVFTTOTW, but it isn't one of my top DT songs or DT epics.

[Cool Chris]

A View by a country mile.

[EPIC Outro]

Illumination Theory. My dad would play it on the sound system he installed in our family room. It reminds me of him.

[Nick]

View

A View by a country mile.

This. To me Illumination Theory is by far the most forgettable epic in the catalog.

And adding a vote to Score. Though it's interesting that I think those two released back to back are both incredibly strong. But Score is one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

[cramx3]

A View, but not by much for me.  I don't think either are strong epics for DT.

[Mladen]

I find Illumination theory much more interesting. It's great, actually.

[crystalstars17]

And adding a vote to Score.

YESSS!!!! ✨ My very first exposure to DT. I am a fan because of Score.

[Trav]

A View, hands down.

[ReaperKK]

A view for me as well. All that IT has going for it is that little piano piece at the very end of the song.

[RoeDent]

AVFTTOTW, although it is close for me.

[tofee35]

1. TDEN > S2N
2. SDV < Disappear
3. PBD < TA
4. Budokan > Score
5. LTE (1)< LTE (2)

-Tof

[Lonk]

Tough one,

A View I guess.

[nick_z]

Catching up with the last few:

The Alien over Pale Blue Dot: not a huge fan of PBD...it's one of the "bigger" songs on D/T that didn't quite stick. The Alien is a good one.

Budokan over Score: I don't love everything about Budokan, but there is some amazing stuff in there. Same can be said for Score, really, but Budokan edges it out

LTE1 over LTE2: This is really close.

Illumination over A View: I like, don't love, both songs. IT has a slight edge for me.

[gzarruk]

Looks like the new epic slayed its slightly older brother

As always, here's the updated scoreboard:
1. TDEN 10 - 9 S2N
2. SDV 8 - 13 Disappear
3. PBD 7 - 7 TA
4. Budokan 10 - 9 Score
5. LTE (1) 3 - 3 LTE (2)
6. IT 6 - 10 AVFTTOTW

Now, who's ready for round 7? This one comes thanks to JeopardousRaven. We talked about two of the band's most beloved live albums, but why don't we face two that aren't too loved by the fanbase?

Once in a Livetime vs Chaos in Motion

[hefdaddy42]

OIAL

[pg1067]

Once in a Livetime vs Chaos in Motion

This is a weird comparison (audio album v. video).  I think OIAL is a well below average live album.  Disc 1 of CIM is not very good, but the second disc with the "bonus" features is pretty cool.  Not really sure how to compare the two, though.  I guess I'd pick CIM, but I might vote differently if the comparison were between CIM and 5YIAL.

[Trav]

OIAL. My first DT live album.

[ReaperKK]

I really loved OIAL but it aged poorly for me so I'm goin to go with Chaos in Motion.

[Cool Chris]

I missed out on OiaL at the time for reasons not worth going in to in this thread. I saw a few clips of songs from CiM on YouTube and decided not to buy it. I got around to listening to OiaL sometime in the early 00s, and that was probably the last time I bothered with it. I came to enjoy some of the songs from CiM so I will go with that one.

[EPIC Outro]

Tough call. The processing on James's voice in CIM is dreadful at points, and I heard that album during a rough time in my life. But OIALT is filled with a lot of DT songs I don't really like as much as others. I guess OIALT - me and my sister both really loved that version of Hollow Years back in the early 2000s.

[JeopardousRaven]

Thanks for the shoutout. I have to give it to CiM. I really like all of the songs on this live album, especially the long version of Surrounded. I think if OiaL featured the full setlist performed that night with Under a Glass Moon, Burning My Soul, Anna Lee, etc it might take the cake.

[EPIC Outro]

Wow. Why was OIALT shortened? Was that a demand of the record label?

[JeopardousRaven]

Wow. Why was OIALT shortened? Was that a demand of the record label?

I don't know if we ever got an official reason but I'm guessing it was just because of a tight budget and the band not having enough record label credibility to get a 3 CD release yet.

[Cool Chris]

It is barely good enough for a 1 CD release.

[pg1067]

It is barely good enough for a 1 CD release.