Sometimes they come back indeed. Bigger, Banginger and, well, Brother i guess.
After such an unexpected gift, the least I could do was to taste the new disk with the man himself and hear hear the first heiress to the dysfunctional sitcom family: my little baby niece, whom we're calling MinIndiscipline.
Yep, the little hyperactive pest was my total diminuitive female portrait, so much that the Big Banging Bro still looks at me with unsettling suspicion from time to time. No worries, gang. I wouldn't fock my bro's wife with my sister's dick. I have morals
and standards.
NOW we are in the mood for The Brilliant Identity Crisis Album:
01 New Millennium
0:00 0:29: I knew it, my brother is the Major Moron. He must have bought the new Alan Parsons album by mistake. Sounding nice though.
Big Banging Bro's Take (BBB'sT from now on): Aaaaaand now, starting at shooting guard, 6'6 from Noooorth Carolinaaaa
0:29 0:56: At least it's featuring Tony Levin. Sounding really nice, by the way.
BBB'sT: I'm hungry.
0:56 1:51: One whole focking minute on a straight 4/4 beat (not necessarily a bad thing), 59 changes of keyboard and guitar sounds (ditto). Going blind into this I would have NEVER told you I was listening to Dream Theater, I'm 50% confused, 50% intrigued = 100% excited. Very very nice sound, I would add.
BBB'sT: You like that sound? It's the sound of 5 sets of balls dropping on the recording studio's ground in unison.
1:51 2:35: Let's assess the situation here. Mike and Derek are playing who's the cooler cat? while the two Jonnies play the patient slightly bored adults. James, that register will never work with you. In the vocal track'n'field of life you're either a dasher or a long distance runner. Did I mention this is sounding real nice?
BBB'sT: Sure dear Alice Cooper sounds rejuvenated. Aren't you hungry? I'm hungry.
2:35 2:51: Double nasal James. Something's wrong here.
MinIndiscipline's Take: I want biscuits.
BBB'sT: BISCUITS!
2:51 3:13: Good rocker section, almost Purple in nature. Big James' voice is being tampered with though. Distant, thin, a 6 on the Joe Elliott Cheating Production On A Non-Existant Voice Scale. What the fock is happening here?
MinIndiscipline's Take: Pee-pee!
BBBT: Oooowww, she said Papa!
3:13 3:35: Hip to a fault. It's reminding me of my first King Crimson Discovery Binge, when not caring about chronology I jumped from In The Wake of Poseidon to Beat. At this point Big James is a luxury, we can do with Dave Gahan.
MinIndiscipline's Take: Ooooooooooooooooowwwwwwww ...
BBB'sT: Fock, she didn't say Papa. Where's Mom keeping the towels?
3:35 4:02: Glad to see the guys are following Awake's tradition of unmemorable openers filled with too much winking towards the latest fad. I'm afraid. I could end up like my niece right now.
BBBT: HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!
4:02 4:39: Give me the focking cover! Oh, still two morons staring at each other. I could have sworn it was jet black with a snake lightly laminate-painted on a corner. Carry on.
BBB'sT: I WANT MY LIFE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
4:39 4:54: Same chorus, a thought. This is like Bowie's last 20 years: You are not sure you like it? Too much turnstyling? All sound no substance? I am David Focking Bowie, you are not. This is cool and you will learn to like it. Well, I don't always trust the Duke, but I still trust DT. All things aside, it DOES sound great, you know.
BBB'sT: Gah! Do you think Sis would mind buying a baby girl?
4:54 5:14: Peter Gabriel!
BBB'sT: Peter Gabriel!
MinIndiscipline's Take: PETER PAN!
5:14 5:41: Nobody says Fock it, I'm taking over like Mighty Mike, nobody. What a brilliant display of creativity. Let's hope it's a start of something.
BBB'sT: *Air-daughter-drumming*
MinIndiscipline's Take: DADDY IT HURTS!
5:41 6:08: Is it possible to redeem a dubious tune with 30 seconds of Funky Bass, Sticks and Phaser? Fock yeah! I must have called the DT Custom Shop at least 437 times for a moment like this.
MinIndiscipline's Take: What does that fock word Uncle Al says mean, daddy?
BBB'sT: Don't focking curse, sweetie.
6:08 7:12: Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me
Town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy
BBB'sT: Well, I talk about it talk about it talk about it talk about it TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT MOOOOOVIN'
MinIndiscipline's Take: I WANT MUMMY!
7:12 7:42: *Headbanging, the three of us, Wayne's World style*
7:42 8:18:
Oh, Hi Mom. How long have you been here?
Funkytown.
Hey Mom! Here's RRRRRrocking!
Drop my granddaughter slowly and give her to me. Now.
I ain't gonna lie, this wasn't terrible. It was so new and unpredictable in so many aspects to make it a terrific teaser for things to come. Sometimes that's all you ask of an opener. If only the real James LaBrie would please stand up?
I was forgetting, it sounds great.
Coming Next: You Not Me
EDIT: Gregg, you're a friend.
EDIT 2: Should have never pointed out the Dire Straits thing. *wink buddy wink*