Official Parasomnia album discussion thread ***SPOILERS***

[emtee]

Jordan did an excellent job creating atmosphere on this album. His lack of up-front presence needs to be appreciated for its impact. He sets the undercurrent tone.

[Northern Lion]

Jordan did an excellent job creating atmosphere on this album. His lack of up-front presence needs to be appreciated for its impact. He sets the undercurrent tone.

100% this. Jordan is great on this record, even though he has fewer solos. And the piano part in TSMI is one of the best parts of that song.

[YngVai]

I get that, he just doesn't do music anymore, and would never reunite with DT.  So I just don't understand the idea.

Which is what I suppose solidifies it as very much a dream, haha. Far from the realm of possibility, but damn it'd be cool to see.

[Samsara]

If it matters, you're not the only one that shares some of those points of view.  I just know for me, it is what it is.  They wouldn't have likely kept on making the same music for the last 40 years, and who knows to where they would have evolved.  I don't say this to you, Samsara, but to the people wishing for Kevin to come out of retirement, all I can do is enjoy what we have, and live in the here and now.  I'm not sure who it serves to keep reminding the band of this; I'd rather Jordan be Jordan, for better or worse, than to try to be what he thinks we think Kevin should be or would be today.

Stads,

I agree, honestly. DT is what it is. I don't necessarily wish for Kevin to come out of retirement, personally. I think Parasomnia is who Dream Theater is. I enjoy it. I enjoy the current band. To the extent of how I enjoyed DT and its music from 1992-1997? No. But I still enjoy it, and I'm really glad the "classic" lineup of the band is back and put out a good record. I'll go see Dream Theater one last time (pun intended) later this month (It will be my 16th time seeing DT live), and I'm pretty much done then. (Although I've said that since the show in support of Distance Over Time, and I've reneged now twice. LOL.)

[TAC]

Jordan did an excellent job creating atmosphere on this album. His lack of up-front presence needs to be appreciated for its impact. He sets the undercurrent tone.

I agree. I said the other day that this is the most Kevin Moore-like album that he's made.

[Glasser]

The reunion we have



The reunion we wished

Is that from A Silent Man CD single? I have that somewhere.

[HOF]

I prefer both Moore and DS, but neither will ever be back in DT and that's fine.

[HOF]

Is that from A Silent Man CD single? I have that somewhere.

That's the band photo from the Awake liner notes.

[Dedalus]

Oh, are you talking about Kevin Moore?

I must be having my biggest "DT nostalgia with Kevin Moore" moment ever. What a band!

[Glasser]

Oh, are you talking about Kevin Moore?

I must be having my biggest "DT nostalgia with Kevin Moore" moment ever. What a band!

Love Jordan but Kevin's my dude!

[KevShmev]

I'm as big a Kevin Moore fan as almost anyone here, but it's been over 30 years now.  He's not coming back.   

[Dedalus]

I'm as big a Kevin Moore fan as almost anyone here, but it's been over 30 years now.  He's not coming back.   

I don't think anyone really expects him to come back (not even the dude who posted the Awake pic)

[KevShmev]

I don't think anyone really expects him to come back (not even the dude who posted the Awake pic)

With this fanbase, you never know...  

I would imagine they are the same people still pining for Neal Morse to return to Spock's Beard and Peter Gabriel to return to Genesis.  

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Other people hit on it but we don't know how Kevin would have aged. Music is a journey not a sprint. Obviously his heart was not in it. I personally have all the info needed to know Jordan was the right move despite his DT flaws.

[Northern Lion]

At this point, I'm not sure DT would be DT without Jordan.

[voncorn]

JR can (and does) play all of KM's parts in DT, but could KM do the same for JR's?

Try picturing Dr. Moore on stage with DT doing The Root of All Evil or something. It doesn't compute. And not even because I think KM can't do it, I'm sure he could figure it out with a gun to his head. JR's style and approach is just so different, KM would never go for the "snarling pig" synths that typically double JP's rhythm guitar.

[TAC]

Try picturing Dr. Moore on stage with DT doing The Root of All Evil or something. It doesn't compute.

The Root Canal Of All Evil.

[Dedalus]

JR can (and does) play all of KM's parts in DT, but could KM do the same for JR's?

Try picturing Dr. Moore on stage with DT doing The Root of All Evil or something. It doesn't compute. And not even because I think KM can't do it, I'm sure he could figure it out with a gun to his head. JR's style and approach is just so different, KM would never go for the "snarling pig" synths that typically double JP's rhythm guitar.

Well, they could just play the songs from his time in the band* (and maybe two from the JR era).

Okay, I'm teasing...

* and probably kill LaBrie in doing so.

[JediKnight1969]

I don't think anyone really expects him to come back (not even the dude who posted the Awake pic)

Of course not. It was a wish. Not a demand, not an expectation, A wish. It was the best DT era and I miss his imput.

[Glasser]

I'm as big a Kevin Moore fan as almost anyone here, but it's been over 30 years now.  He's not coming back.   

Clearly. He didn't even want to play on Awake.

[wolfking]

Even if Kevin contacted the band and said, 'hey, I want to come back,' do we really think they would kick Jordan out?!    Of course they wouldn't.

[Glasser]

Even if Kevin contacted the band and said, 'hey, I want to come back,' do we really think they would kick Jordan out?!    Of course they wouldn't.

100% they would! Jordan can go play with Mangini in a project called "A View From The Curb" Hahaha! Kidding!

[The Letter M]

Out of curiosity, had anyone compiled the order in which the songs from the album were written? Based on just a couple videos and interviews I've seen, all I know is that "Night Terror" was written first, then "Dead Asleep". The overture "In The Arms Of Morpheus" was written last, but what about the other five tracks? I'd also love to hear what the songs' working titles were as MP mentioned the working title for "The Shadow Man Incident" in the recent Drumeo video.

-Marc.

[Glasser]

Out of curiosity, had anyone compiled the order in which the songs from the album were written? Based on just a couple videos and interviews I've seen, all I know is that "Night Terror" was written first, then "Dead Asleep". The overture "In The Arms Of Morpheus" was written last, but what about the other five tracks? I'd also love to hear what the songs' working titles were as MP mentioned the working title for "The Shadow Man Incident" in the recent Drumeo video.

-Marc.

Maybe they will do a Lost Not Forgotten making of or demo versions release.

[Sir Walrus Cauliflower]

Out of curiosity, had anyone compiled the order in which the songs from the album were written? Based on just a couple videos and interviews I've seen, all I know is that "Night Terror" was written first, then "Dead Asleep". The overture "In The Arms Of Morpheus" was written last, but what about the other five tracks? I'd also love to hear what the songs' working titles were as MP mentioned the working title for "The Shadow Man Incident" in the recent Drumeo video.

-Marc.

Want to tell us what that working title was?

-Walrus. 

[Zydar]

100% they would! Jordan can go play with Mangini in a project called "A View From The Curb" Hahaha! Kidding!

The hell have some bacon

[evilasiojr]

Out of curiosity, had anyone compiled the order in which the songs from the album were written? Based on just a couple videos and interviews I've seen, all I know is that "Night Terror" was written first, then "Dead Asleep". The overture "In The Arms Of Morpheus" was written last, but what about the other five tracks? I'd also love to hear what the songs' working titles were as MP mentioned the working title for "The Shadow Man Incident" in the recent Drumeo video.

-Marc.

From MP's post back in the writing days, TSMI was the 6th song written, the last one before they wrote the overture

[genome]

Just realised the bells in Are We Dreaming is the riff at 2:16 in In the Arms of Morpheus

[Awaken]

Just realised the bells in Are We Dreaming is the riff at 2:16 in In the Arms of Morpheus

This has really grown on me - especially w headphones.  That tune was made for the headphone listening experience IMO

[hefdaddy42]

Jordan did an excellent job creating atmosphere on this album. His lack of up-front presence needs to be appreciated for its impact. He sets the undercurrent tone.

That's a good point.

[durga2112]

Even if Kevin contacted the band and said, 'hey, I want to come back,' do we really think they would kick Jordan out?!    Of course they wouldn't.

I know we're just being silly here because this has essentially zero chance of ever happening. So, if you'll indulge me... if Kevin Moore, a founding member of Dream Theater, contacted the band and said he wants to come back, I think that at minimum they would take him in and become a six-piece band. Kevin's lyrics and atmospheric keyboard passages, along with occasional leads and unisons involving every combination of keyboards, guitar, and bass, along with everything Jordan does, would create the ultimate version of Dream Theater. 

[hefdaddy42]

if Kevin Moore, a founding member of Dream Theater, contacted the band and said he wants to come back, I think that at minimum they would take him in and become a six-piece band

Not one chance in a million.

[Samsara]

Jordan did an excellent job creating atmosphere on this album. His lack of up-front presence needs to be appreciated for its impact. He sets the undercurrent tone.

I agree with this as well. He absolutely did. But his tone and what he brings to the band are unquestionably different than what Kevin Moore brought to the band. And while I like both, the latter is what I prefer. Which was the overall point I was making. No slights or shots at anyone. But we all are allowed a preference and difference of opinion.

[Pettor]

I know we're just being silly here because this has essentially zero chance of ever happening. So, if you'll indulge me... if Kevin Moore, a founding member of Dream Theater, contacted the band and said he wants to come back, I think that at minimum they would take him in and become a six-piece band. Kevin's lyrics and atmospheric keyboard passages, along with occasional leads and unisons involving every combination of keyboards, guitar, and bass, along with everything Jordan does, would create the ultimate version of Dream Theater. 

You should listen to Raise The Knife 

[durga2112]

You should listen to Raise The Knife 

After 30+ years, that knife would be dropped pretty quickly if the opportunity arose. 

(I'm just having fun here with some extremely wishful thinking - I love what Kevin brought to the band in their early days, I love the music he created after leaving the band, and I love the music Dream Theater has continued to create without him)