Official DT Top 50 Thread Mark II (bss4life15 up now - starting page 79)

[Mind Trail]

Theeeere we go! 

Nice picks, I also think ES is a bit weak spark-wise. xD

[iamtheeviltwin]

I enjoy lists like this because it gives an interesting look into what makes songs good in the minds of different people.  I take it that you decided to split 6DOIT into individual tracks based on pick 47.

I have always enjoyed Endless Sacrifice, but I agree that the only thing that keeps the song from being a top 20+ in my mind is the instrumental section in the middle of the song.  Cutting 2m or so from the song from about 5:30-7:30ish would have elevated this song greatly.

Can't really stand New Millennium.  While not quite my least favorite track on FII it is pretty close.  The strength of the instrumental elements of the song can't lift the horrible lyrics and basic muddled mess of the song structure.

[wasteland]

Can't really stand New Millennium.  While not quite my least favorite track on FII it is pretty close.  The strength of the instrumental elements of the song can't lift the horrible lyrics and basic muddled mess of the song structure.

I guess JP being out of the songwriting process has something to do with this. 

[Mladen]

All of these are good, but none would be in my top 50. 

[BlackInk]

Nice ones all of them. But Blind Faith is faaaaaar to low.

[Mind Trail]

Me too. It'll maybe be like spot number 25 for me.

[Ħ]

is this gonna be forever

[namgalsipsclar]

Blind faith is way too low, and maybe overture as well, the other two wouldnt make my top 50 though

[Ben_Jamin]

is this gonna be forever

DT 12 will be out by the time it's my turn.

[Jaffa]

At this rate, I might be able to post my entire list before the next update.   

Good songs so far, wasteland, though most of them aren't where I would put them. 

[wasteland]

Sorry for the undenyable slow rate. I finished my long row of universtity exams today, from now on the pace will increase

[Nekov]

Nice ones all of them. But Blind Faith is faaaaaar to low.

[Mind Trail]

Blind Faith is 35-ish if you ask me. Maybe 40.

[Scorpion]

Great list so far, though I disagree with some of your choices.

Is is possible for me to get a spot on the list? If it is, please put me down.
Thanks.

[wasteland]

This is all for today, tomorrow I will write and post a few more, and probably figure out a way to post that youtube clip...

43. IN THE NAME OF GOD

Here we go, the magnus opus that shines at the end of Train Of Though. Well, that's supposed to shine. I never fuly understood my stance on this song. That's pretty weird, I know. I am not a fan of DT's heavy side, and such this song is not among those that make my heart beat faster. However, I have to admit that the main riff the song is built around is arguably among the best of DT's catalogue, one of those you have to try very hard not to headbang to. The lyrical side of the song is okay to, but what once again throws me off this song is the long shredfest in the middle section. I usually love JP's fast guitar work (and I'm going to prove this before this song's review is over), but I can't really name any other purpose for that solo beside proving that the man can play that fast without catching fire. Sure, it's mildly entertaining to listen to him and Jordan creating a huge swirly tornado of notes, but this is once again among the cases when I find an extended middle section detrimental to the song's overall structure. Fortunately, what follows is on the awesome side of music, from the majestic theme introducing the last chorus to the final nose note on the piano, via the haunting background singing (same sort of Psalm, I recall). Even then, I must admit that I have never listened to the studio outro in the last two years or so, rather going with the mindblowing live guitar solo that was used to close song and shows during the Train Of Thought tour and later. I don't want to waste any more time describing it, so I uploaded a clip of the best version of the solo I know.


42. ABOUT TO CRASH

About to Crash, besides lending its name to Jackie, is a clear example of what makes Six Degrees so undeniably unique among DT albums. Together with Solitary Shell, ATC strongly revolves around the disconnection between the general vibe of the song, positive and uplifting, and its heavy lyrical content, discussing the bipolar disorder of the character. It can be argued that this weird dichotomy was intentionally sought after to convey on a deeper level the chaotic duality of the girl's psyche, thus piercing the curtain of standard narration and achieving an interesting meta-narrative goal. Speaking of my liking of the song, I'm going through a (long) period of general dislike of SDOIT (with a few notable exceptions that you will later see), and, to a certain extent, the song suffers from this, although not as much as other songs (namely, Solitary Shell, The Test and Blind Faith, as you have already read). Though I don't listen to it very often, when it comes randomly on my playlist, or on a live bootleg tracklist, I enjoy a quick listen and never fail to appreciate the interesting vocal melody and the incredible solo from its inception to the central shreddy build-up to the majestic theme that develops until the end, which to me is the truest and most haunting theme of the whole SDOIT suite. At times, expecially live, that part of the solo feels like a man enveloped in a plastic cage, or drowning in the quicksands, uttering a harrowing, at times agonizing, cry.

[Ħ]

About to Crash is the best song since SDOIT.

[hefdaddy42]

Is is possible for me to get a spot on the list? If it is, please put me down.
Thanks.

[SeRoX]

ITNOG is too low, IMO.

[BlobVanDam]

ITNOG is too low, IMO.

I agree. Easily top 10 for me, probably top 5.

[?]

ITNOG would be in my top 10

[wasteland]

ITNOG would be in my top 10

Two years ago I would have agreed with you. Funny how things change with time.

[hefdaddy42]

ITNOG is one of those songs that most DT fans like better than I do.  I mean, I like it a little more than wasteland (my rankings had it at #37), but I totally get where he's coming from.  I think it's just a little too long.

[Mladen]

In the name of God is high enough. 

[BlackInk]

I will be interested to see how your list looks a bit closer to the top since you're putting many of my top songs down here. Diversity in these lists are refreshing.

[RuRoRul]

ITNOG is too low, IMO.

I agree. Easily top 10 for me, probably top 5.

[namgalsipsclar]

Agree on ITNOG. Its way too long, the unison gets boring quickly and for some reason I dont like the vocals. I never quite got the song, and I might be among the minority of fans who wouldnt include it in my top 50

[Elite]

ITNOG is WAY too high..

[wasteland]

Here's the clip of my favourite ourtro solo 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwJW3AkYFSE&t=772

[wasteland]

41. THE MIRROR

I used to really love this one, and though this has not changed drastically with time, I would have ranked this song higher had I done this list a year ago. Nonetheless, I still enjoy the song quite a lot, and think very highly of it in the live environment, especially when it comes paired with Lie (one of the strongest one-two you will hear in a DT show) or with the Mirror Reprise solo. Which brings us to the unusually troubled genesis of the song. Aside from the anthemic rhythmic intro that was already in existence at the time of the Awake sessions, the song was originally intended to feature the better part of Lie at the end of the song, ending with the aforementioned solo (which incidentally would rank in my top 5 guitar solo in the studio by JP)! Later the latter half of the song, that was probably meant to be a lengthy instrumental outro for the song, was cut and reshaped into the famed Kevin Moore penned song. Personally, I approve this decision, as the original song would have probably suffered due to a draggy conclusion. Lyrically, the song unsurprisingly deals with Mike Portnoy's  messy life, but they don't stand out as much as the way they are delivered does. The singing is raw, powerful and yet extremely control and well thought. It's James LaBrie Awake-edition, at the absolute peak of his studio career, which cannot but compliment this sharp, edgy and fascinating song.

40. ON THE BACKS OF ANGELS

I remember the first time I heard of this song. Just like many of you, I read its name on the first tracklist  we were given by the band at the beginning of June (the one with still "The Shaman's Trance" on it). I was puzzled by the title, slightly unusual for DT's standards, but that probably fed my expectation. Fast-forward to June 29th, 5 PM. After refreshing a good hundreds of times the RR youtube page, the song, the first since MM's inception, is available and ready to be listened. The intro is slow, melodic, with the nicest clean guitar I had heard in ages. Then the actual song kicks in, and I get completely absorbed in the listen. My first impression was quite favorable, a good 8-out-of-10 song with a powerful riff, a great intro and an incredible solo breakdown. This without even mentioning the awesome ending. The only low note was the singing, which I originally found too much plain and colourless. Just like it happened with BMU, those concerns slowly faded with time (although I must admit not having listened to OTBOA as much as the rest of the album) and were finally swept away when I saw the song being performed live in Milan. There I felt on my skin the great power of the obsessively repetitive first line and heard how easily the crowd got in the chorus. All in all, the song was probably the one which got the best live reception among ADTOE's, even considering that the song was the only single. So, to summarize everything, OTBOA is a very good comprehensive DT song that I would suggest to those who may be interested in getting familiar with the band, as it showcases most of what DT is known for. As such, it is not listed quite low in my list out of some definite flaw, but just because I feel that there are 39 better song out there. Which is yet another way to say DT is an awesome band!

[Ħ]

The Mirror is one of DT's most interesting songs but I never got into it.

OTBOA is absolutely incredible and that spot might actually be too low.

[BlackInk]

Seems about right for those two.

[serrano]

The only thing i enjoy about Lie is the mirror reprise solo. I like the mirror, i would rank it also in my top 50, and in the top 20 including the reprise solo, which i rank also very high in the list of JPs best solos.

[Mladen]

Both top 50 material indeed. 

[namgalsipsclar]

LOVE The Mirror, top 5 for me. Also that Lie solo is incredible

[Ħ]

LOVE The Mirror, top 5 for me. Also that Lie solo is incredible

JP looks more ridiculous than ever though.