Dream Theater is one of the few bands for whom I have the entire catalog on physical media, special or deluxe editions when they were available. I'm not as "hot" on them as I was at one time, but they're still one of my favorite bands. I picked up The Astonishing on release date and immediately put it into the CD player of my car, where it stayed for a week or so. I listened to it end-to-end multiple times, which of course is the only way to really check out an album, especially a concept album. I just found myself getting bored, over and over again. I get that some songs start quietly and build up, or that there are contrasting heavy and lighter sections, or any of those things which provide variety and keep interest up over the course of two hours or so.
When that wasn't working, I went old school; I sat with the lyrics, read up on the story online, got to know the characters and try to "feel" how the narrative played out, all those good things. I gained a greater appreciation for the effort JP and JR put into it, as I expected I would, but overall it's the music that carries the work, and most of it is just plain uninteresting to me. It sounds great, it's well produced and well played; I just don't find it very interesting.