James LaBrie Solo

[Bertielee]

And that Guillory guy does an awesome impression of Stephen Baldwin   

And does it have to do with music at all?

[Cool Chris]

And that Guillory guy does an awesome impression of Stephen Baldwin   

And does it have to do with music at all?

Absolutely nothing. It was just bothering me who he reminded me of. Then it just hit me when I glanced at the 'Usual Suspects' poster on my wall.

[Bertielee]

And that Guillory guy does an awesome impression of Stephen Baldwin   

And does it have to do with music at all?

Absolutely nothing. It was just bothering me who he reminded me of. Then it just hit me when I glanced at the 'Usual Suspects' poster on my wall.

Off topic. Great movie if there is one.

[The Letter M]

Just pre-ordered this from CMDistro - total $28.00 after shipping, the CD plus an XL T-shirt! Can't wait to get this album! It'll be pretty sweet if we get The Jelly Jam 3 between Oct. and Dec., and then JP's upcoming solo album sometime around Jan.-Mar., then a couple months later, the new DT!

I really liked the second song that was posted, so I'm thinking I'll enjoy the whole album. Also, I'll have to delve back into JLB's previous solo efforts as this will be my first JLB solo album!

-Marc.

[Fuzzboy]

Goddamn, I'm liking this new song.

But then again, I'm a sucker for anything in 3/4

[wolfking]

Can't wait for this album, it's gonna be amazing!!  You guys who weren't too keen better like it, as output from the DT boys might be a little while away.

[TL]

I'm not going to lie, recent events have made anticipate Static Impulse more.
Also, the awesomeness of the two Mullmuzzler albums and EoP have pretty much guaranteed that I'll check it out.

[wolfking]

Man, LaBrie is awesome!!!  I love him!

[robwebster]

Arrrrrghh,

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. All I ask is realize the music and style for what it stands for. It is to be powerful. Don't let one element ( guttural vocals ) cloud your judgement or taint it's relevance within the context of the song. This creates an amazing contrast between my vocals and Peter's. It allows the song to breathe, complimenting both styles of singing, deepening the message. Open your minds to what is going on musically and vocally and I assure you it will be very dynamic and sastisfying. Can't force you to liking something but now you know why Matt and I went this route and wrote like we did including the foreseeable controversial vocals.

Now walk the plank, you disbelievers... 

Captain James Sparrow.

Don't know if anyone caught this in all the hubbub... JLB posted it on his board, on MP-day. Got lost a bit, but it's a very cool post.

[wolfking]

James is the man.  Loving both new songs, first day buyer.  Great post!!!

[hefdaddy42]

Arrrrrghh,

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. All I ask is realize the music and style for what it stands for. It is to be powerful. Don't let one element ( guttural vocals ) cloud your judgement or taint it's relevance within the context of the song. This creates an amazing contrast between my vocals and Peter's. It allows the song to breathe, complimenting both styles of singing, deepening the message. Open your minds to what is going on musically and vocally and I assure you it will be very dynamic and sastisfying. Can't force you to liking something but now you know why Matt and I went this route and wrote like we did including the foreseeable controversial vocals.

Now walk the plank, you disbelievers... 

Captain James Sparrow.

Don't know if anyone caught this in all the hubbub... JLB posted it on his board, on MP-day. Got lost a bit, but it's a very cool post.

[wolfking]

Here's an interview with James I just found on Bravewords.  Good interview discussing the new album.

A couple of interesting quotes;

It’s impossible for me to get my ideas on a Dream Theater album when there are three other guys deeply involved in collaborating on the songs. With me getting involved here and there, it’s sort of like ‘Why fix that environment if it’s not broken?’

and when Mike (Portnoy) heard it he called it was ‘phenomenal,’ which means something



https://www.bravewords.com/news/145929



JAMES LABRIE - Hyde And Seek
Hot Flashes
Posted on Tuesday, September 07, 2010 at 19:10:28 EST

By Carl Begai

Admittedly, there’s a morbid sense of amusement to be had when playing the new James LaBrie album for the first time to fanatic Dream Theater fans. The effect is similar to introducing a favourite horror flick to your unsuspecting significant other and conveniently neglecting to mention the hack and slash starts almost immediately. Jaw on the floor, a stifled yelp, fingernails embedded in the ceiling. And while this may be an exaggeration to some degree, it’s safe to say people familiar with LaBrie’s work will do a double take less than 20 seconds into his new solo album, Static Impulse. What begins as a welcome return to familiar ground pounded out by his 2005 release, Elements Of Persuasion, quickly becomes something far more aggressive than anyone expected, complete with death metal vocals. The song in question, ‘One More Time’, isn’t a one-off either, instead setting the tone for the entire record as the most aggressive and diverse work of LaBrie’s career.

“We started touching on that with Elements Of Persuasion,” says LaBrie matter-of-factly, aware that ‘One More Time’ has frightened more than a few fans. “The first song on that album, ‘Crucify’, was very in your face, very aggressive, very metal. So was the song ‘Pretender’. We knew how things were going to go coming into this new album, and we actually started putting ideas together around January 2009. What I think is really important when writing an album is keeping it dynamic and exciting no matter what your style, and we knew that if we were going to write a metal album it had to be in the now. And what really makes it a powerful album is that melodically it’s strong, memorable, and there are lots of hooks. When we were writing we kept thinking that melodically – vocally and musically – it had to be something almost hypnotic in a way. I think that because we kept that in mind, the album turned out the way it did.”

For the record, LaBrie didn’t take up Soilwork 101 prior to heading into the studio. The death metal vocals that pepper the album are provided by Darkane drummer Peter Wildoer. A performance that works remarkably well.

“Originally I was going to do all the vocal parts,” LaBrie reveals. “The parts that Peter is doing on the record, I was going to use a more aggressive voice to try and get the same vibe across. As time went on though, we thought that given the type of album we were doing we should take things further. We decided to push things over the top and give those songs more authenticity and a more genuine feel of aggression. For a split second I thought ‘Wait a minute, I’m the singer…’ but I couldn’t let my pride get in the way. I didn’t want things to come off as being amateurish, so it made sense to use real aggressive vocals rather than my voice for those parts. The other thing that was really exciting for Matt (Guillory / keyboards) and I was realizing all the contrasts we could have by incorporating Peter’s vocals. They make the album even more exciting to listen to.”

So, none of the aggression seemingly running rampant on the album was the product of frustration or dissatisfaction, musically or otherwise?



“No. That would be a false interpretation. I think the reason Matt and I wrote an album like this is because we love this kind of music stylistically, the incredible energy that it has, I think it’s a great way to express myself, and it’s very diverse for a metal album. Something that a lot of people who aren’t metal fans don’t get is that metal musicians are extremely talented and very dynamic. It’s noticeable throughout this album that it’s more than just aggressive. When you hear songs like ‘I Tried’ or ‘One More Time’ or ‘Just Watch Me’, they’re very different from one another.”

With all due respect to the diehard Dream Theater fans – the musical equivalent of Trekkies – there may be a little too much excitement on Static Impulse for some of them. Recent babbling and tirades on several fan forums attacking Wildoer’s performance are proof that tracks like ‘Jekyll And Hyde, ‘One More Time’ and ‘This Is War’ are as far from LaBrie’s prog-metal haunts as one can get. LaBrie isn’t phased by the fallout.

“There’s some controversy, sure. A lot of the hard core prog-heads are standing there saying ‘What the hell is going on? Why did James want to write an album like this?’ Hopefully people will keep an open mind and accept the songs for what they are. There is appreciation out there, though, because it comes down to whether the songs are good. This album was never supposed to be like Elements Of Persuasion, so if you look at it from that angle you’ll love everything about it.”

“It was myself and Matt that wrote all the music,” he continues. “Marco (Sfogli / guitars) got a little bit involved in the writing on ‘Over The Edge’, but basically it was me and Matt that wrote everything. I’d sing the melody or the riff to Matt or vice versa, I wrote the lyrics for six songs and Matt wrote six. When we recorded the album we had drums, bass and guitar recorded at the studio in Sweden, which was great because everyone was together getting the vibe and feeding off each other for the album. All those guys are phenomenal players. Peter is a great vocalist as well as a killer drummer. He’d sit with the songs and he knew where we wanted to go and what we were after. Ray (Riendeau / bass) and Marco are incredible players that can pull anything off, and Matt was brilliant in every aspect of making this album.”



Make no mistake, LaBrie views Static Impulse as a band effort with legs.

“This is a band, it’s not a fly-by-night project. The guys that recorded on this album are looking at this as the real thing and not a project where they get a pat on the back and a ‘Thanks for being involved…’ We’re currently in discussions to see if we can book some shows and these guys are 100% committed to bringing the music out there.”

A plan that hinges on Dream Theater’s future plans. LaBrie is fully committed to the band, but he needs a life outside its confines.

“One of the main reasons I do this is because in Dream Theater my main function is to be the singer,” he says, offering a look at the big picture. “I’ll write the odd lyric or vocal melody here and there, but my solo stuff is myself and Matt working together on everything. I’m wearing three different hats for my solo stuff as the writer, producer and singer. This is a great outlet for me creatively because, let’s face it, it’s impossible for me to get my ideas on a Dream Theater album when there are three other guys deeply involved in collaborating on the songs. With me getting involved here and there, it’s sort of like ‘Why fix that environment if it’s not broken?’ For my solo thing I’m in control and I’m calling the shots along with Matt. This is 50-50 and without Matt it wouldn’t exist. This is shared between me and him.”

“Static Impulse is something I’m really proud of,” he adds. “This is definitely the best album that Matt and I have ever written, by far better than the Mullmuzzler album although some people might contest that, which is fine. I love the album musically and melodically, I love the lyrical content and the quality of the production. I’m incredibly proud of this, and when Mike (Portnoy) heard it he called it was ‘phenomenal,’ which means something. It came out exactly the way we envisioned it. It came out better, actually, because we had these players who added their own personalities and styles to it. That brought it to a whole different level.”

[TL]

Even if I don't like the harsh vocals on the new album, I can certainly respect James' willingness to explore new musical directions, and especially to stand by those decisions to such an extent. Also, I like his attitude toward these 'solo' albums; that it's about writing great music, and not about ego.

I know that interview was probably conducted before MP left DT. Where he talks about not wanting to disturb the balance of the DT writing process; now that it's already been shaken up, it would be cool if he got more involved. I think the four of them working together could come up with some really cool stuff.

[DarkEternalNight]

I love the fact that James and Matt wrote most of the music.

[abydos]

I like the new songs but I just hope that James does his share of aggressive moments as well. It would be a waste if he only sung in a clean, more melodic way throughout the whole album.

[wolfking]

I love the fact that James and Matt wrote most of the music.

Yes, I noticed this too.  Could be a sign of good things to come for DT.

[wolfking]

For all you facebook and twitter guys, apparently if you are on this you can download another new tune call Mislead.  I unfortunately have neither of these.

https://www.insideoutmusic.com/specials/jameslabrie/

Here's a youtube link before it gets taken down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvjL1Q3xxI


EDIT:  I just lilstened to this song.  It is fucking amazing!!!  This album is going to be wonderful!!!

[Pyroph]

Pretty excited for this now. I know I dogged it at the beginning, but I've come around.

[Bertielee]

Pretty excited for this now. I know I dogged it at the beginning, but I've come around.

I was doubtful at first too. Then, MP left DT, I listened to the samples and I got very excited to hear it. Will definitelt buy it!

[DarkEternalNight]

Just ordered the CD/T-Shirt deal!

[TL]

I don't know.
From the three songs released so far; It's not at all bad, and James sounds great, but the songs don't really grab me.

[TAC]

Mislead kicks some major ASS!

[wolfking]

Mislead kicks some major ASS!

This is very true!

[hefdaddy42]

I'm on my first listen, and I'm really liking it!

[LCArenas]

MEHSLEEEEEEEEEEEEED
MEHSLEEEEEEEEEEEEED
MEHSLEEEEEEEEEEEEED
CRUCIFYYYYYYYYYYYY



But seriously this song is awesome. Pretty good album so far.

[Scard]

After the first song I was like...I dunnnnnnnnnooooooo....but now 3 songs in and after the 30 second samples,  aw yeahhhhhhhhh

[TL]

Having listened to the 3 songs and all of the 30 second samples, I genuinely don't know what I think. James sounds great, and I could definitely see how someone would like this album, and there are definitely elements in there that I like. I don't know.

[Dr. DTVT]

Just pre-ordered the CD/shirt bundle.  Can't wait.

As an aside - I was perusing the online catalog and saw a Century Media grab bag and a Nuclear Blast grab bag, both are 10 CDs for $25.  Had to pick up both...if I find 2 CD's in each I like I broke even in my mind.  Might be worth doing if you are up for some musical discovery.

[Jamesman42]

Just listened to Mislead. Good song.

Still, the two songs I've heard are not comparing to what is on EoP at all, IMHO. I'll give the whole album a chance, though, because a) I'm still sort of a DT fanboy and want to get it and b)EoP took some getting used to, so time may make it or break it for me like it did with EoP.

[MykeHavoc]

These songs strike me as more relevant then anything on the last 2 DT records. I'm digging it. Can't wait to get my copy.

[Global Laziness]

Mislead is definitely the strongest of the three tracks released, followed by (the second one) and then One More Time. I feel like this will probably be a real hit or miss album, with some really awesome tracks and some really disappointing tracks.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Amazing! 

[wolfking]

Amazing! 

Very amazing!! 

[DarkEternalNight]

Every song they release is better than the last one.

[TL]

Listening to the released songs and the 30 second samples a few more times, they are starting to grow on me.
I'm starting to form a clearer opinion. I think it's that, for me, I like the material I've heard, but it just seems that there's not enough variety stylistically. Now, again, not having heard the whole album in full, there could be plenty of variety that I just haven't heard yet. Plus, if I throw this CD in a playlist with the Mullmuzzler albums and EoP, it could be part of a great mix.

What I mean by not enough variety is that, while each of these songs would be good on their own, when placed next to a few songs with a similar vibe, they start to cancel each other out a bit. Again, this is obviously just my opinion, and I'll probably end up buying the album, because in spite of that criticism, it still sounds pretty good so far.