Dream Theater self titled album discussion - [SPOILER FREE DISCUSSION ONLY]

[Mosh]

The discussions in this thread are awful.

No one is holding a gun to your head to come post here...

everyone has the right to their opinion on the fact that people are mad JP used the word 'centerpiece' and didn't mean the middle track on the album

Fans have a right to complain about whatever they want. It's part of being a fan.

And we have the right to point out how dumb many of these complaints are.

[wolven74]

The discussions in this thread are awful.

If the discussions are so awful, by all means change them to something that isn't. What would you like to discuss?

[ZKX-2099]

Is there any known date of when we will get a taste of some new bangin DT tunes?

[Joshin U]

Let's discuss how that Pablo guy said there were less JR solos on the album.  If that were true, how would you all feel about that? 

[sdfdsv]

Yes, soon. Have you not read the thread? 

[liran95]

Let's discuss how that Pablo guy said there were less JR solos on the album.  If that were true, how would you all feel about that?

 

[ZKX-2099]

Yes, soon. Have you not read the thread? 

No not really... 75 pages... none of them about me. Why?

[liran95]

Yes, soon. Have you not read the thread? 

No not really... 75 pages... none of them about me. Why?

Cause it's a serious discussion about the thread's topic, and we're never drifting off this discussion.









 

[Ben_Jamin]

The discussions in this thread are awful.

If the discussions are so awful, by all means change them to something that isn't. What would you like to discuss?

Well I tried....but it got overshadowed.

Lets talk about the info that says more about the songs. We got plenty to discuss in the vids, like the acoustic one in pt. 2, and now the reveal of them wanting to do their own concert intro track...plus, is the cool scat the easter egg?

[illusionist]

i wouldn't really mind less keyboard solos,as long as the existent ones are beautifully crafted and emotionally conveyed.

[liran95]

is the cool scat the easter egg?

 

Can only hope for that.

[chrisbDTM]

if there's less solos, then there are less for a reason. throwing in a guitar solo --> key solo --> duel in every song would just be entering Yngwie predictability territory

[johncal]

"Centerpiece" does not literally mean "in the middle".

Then it shouldn't be called a centerpiece, especially when coupled with a statement like 'in the sea' of shorter songs. It's misleading.   

The word Centerpiece can be used as a metaphor. I get it, not misleading at all.

[Joshin U]

if there's less solos, then there are less for a reason. throwing in a guitar solo --> key solo --> duel in every song would just be entering Yngwie predictability territory

Yeah, that's my line of thought. I'm sure that if there were less, that would make the existing ones on the new album more unique and of higher caliber.

Just a thought. Always love me some JR, of course.

[Voices]

Talking about JR solos, I'm not sure of what to think, because I really like his solos (like from Lost Not Forgotten, Blind Faith, The Great Debate, Beneath The Surface and even This Is The Life, that is a shorter solo, but really cool), but what truly makes difference in JR sounds IMO, are his harmonies and riffs that ride through the song rhythm and JP riffs (for example, the ending of Solitary Shell, the part before the starting vocals from On The Backs Of Angels, and the section after the solo of Breaking All Illusions)...
If those details that JR inputs into a song aren't lacking in the new album, I'd be ok if there were just 2 or 3 solos.

[Mosh]

JR is pretty hit or miss with me, solo wise. By toning it down hopefully the effect will be more along the lines of 'less is more'.

[Lucien]

I just realized something. If many of the songs are shorter, (<5 minutes on most I guess) I might actually be able to get some of my family to enjoy it

[commanderbob]

After having seen all videos, is anyone else a tad bit underwhelmed?  Since it all boils down to this anyway and for the sake of time, I would have been just as happy with an image like this instead of all of the videos:

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I don't really understand that meme. Why are words with "er" funny? Not flaming or anything, I just don't get it.

[jdprsaga]

Well if it's true that there are less JR solos, that will add up for the Awake part 2 theory    (not saying I believe in any of this affirmations)

[commanderbob]

I don't really understand that meme. Why are words with "er" funny? Not flaming or anything, I just don't get it.

Cuz I'm sort of a moron about certain types of humor.  Try it sometime, they have a great 401k and free passes to the local gym.

[Lucien]

After having seen all videos, is anyone else a tad bit underwhelmed?  Since it all boils down to this anyway and for the sake of time, I would have been just as happy with an image like this instead of all of the videos:

Change Rerck to RAWK and I'll be happy.

[Dellers]

I just realized something. If many of the songs are shorter, (<5 minutes on most I guess) I might actually be able to get some of my family to enjoy it

So they actually don't enjoy some music just because the songs are long? I've been playing some DT and Haken for my sister a few times, and she actually quite enjoys it. Like she says, there is so much happening that she don't really notice that the songs are long. Anyway, more can be happening in one 20 minute song than five 4 minute songs, and therefore I don't see why anyone mind the length itself.

[Lucien]

I just realized something. If many of the songs are shorter, (<5 minutes on most I guess) I might actually be able to get some of my family to enjoy it

So they actually don't enjoy some music just because the songs are long? I've been playing some DT and Haken for my sister a few times, and she actually quite enjoys it. Like she says, there is so much happening that she don't really notice that the songs are long. Anyway, more can be happening in one 20 minute song than five 4 minute songs, and therefore I don't see why anyone mind the length itself.

It's because of the wankery, the "you don't have to have flying fingers to make a good song" and "what does this 5 minute instrumental section have to do with the song?"

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I think my family rejects long songs just on the basis that they're long.

But then again, they don't like the short songs I listen to either, so...

[cyberdrummer]

Well if it's true that there are less JR solos, that will add up for the Awake part 2 theory    (not saying I believe in any of this affirmations)

Because JR didn't play on Awake?

[jdprsaga]

Well if it's true that there are less JR solos, that will add up for the Awake part 2 theory    (not saying I believe in any of this affirmations)

Because JR didn't play on Awake?

because there were not many KM solos on awake

[Lucien]

The only reason I was trying to get my family into Dream Theater was because my entire family loves Rush.

I guess they aren't similar enough.

[Dave_Manchester]

Assuming that guy's comments were based on actually having heard the album, I'd be pretty happy if there were fewer (even no) keyboard solos. Much as I love JR, I think his skill (even genius at times) is with textures, harmonies, melodies, overall song-craft, and so on. Not soloing. I love his piano sections (such as in Blind Faith, Outcry and LTE's Universal Mind), because those tend to be what I'm talking about - great harmonies, soft, warm, plush, all that. But those noodling keyboard solos (as in Fatal Tragedy and Endless Sacrifice, for example) do very little for me. This is all just my own preference, of course, I know many others love them.

If I were to make a mental list of my favourite 4 or 5 Dream Theater songs, the common thread in all of them would be that they have superb Petrucci solos, 'dense' layers of keyboard harmonies, zero keyboard solos, a dash of piano, and no 'aggressive' vocals (growling, rapping, etc). ADTOE contained all of these elements are more, so if this new one is said to be even better, then September 24th can't come quickly enough for me.   



 

[Lucien]

Assuming that guy's comments were based on actually having heard the album, I'd be pretty happy if there were fewer (even no) keyboard solos. Much as I love JR, I think his skill (even genius at times) is with textures, harmonies, melodies, overall song-craft, and so on. Not soloing. I love his piano sections (such as in Blind Faith, Outcry and LTE's Universal Mind), because those tend to be what I'm talking about - great harmonies, soft, warm, plush, all that. But those noodling keyboard solos (as in Fatal Tragedy and Endless Sacrifice, for example) do very little for me. This is all just my own preference, of course, I know many others love them.

If I were to make a mental list of my favourite 4 or 5 Dream Theater songs, the common thread in all of them would be that they have superb Pertucci solos, 'dense' layers of keyboard harmonies, zero keyboard solos, a dash of piano, and no 'aggressive' vocals (growling, rapping, etc). ADTOE contained all of these elements are more, so if this new one is said to be even better, then September 24th can't come quickly enough for me.   



 

Lost you there.


j/k, I agree.

[King Postwhore]

"Centerpiece" does not literally mean "in the middle".

Then it shouldn't be called a centerpiece, especially when coupled with a statement like 'in the sea' of shorter songs. It's misleading.   

Well that's a problem you should take up with whoever is in charge of the English language.

 

Dammit I love you.

Not enough info DT.  kingshmeland SMASH!!!

(Blob or bosk,  I need a green emote of me for this!)

[Daso]

I think Jordan has always been in a certain margin of spotlight. Perhaps there have not been too many proper solos on certain albums, but he has backed that up with his presence elsewhere (like setting up ambients, strings/pad/piano sections, unisons or proggier parts). If there are less proper solos, but he compliments that with doing something else like setting melodic or harmonic patterns (where he is the centerpiece) or anything of what I just mentioned, it would be fine for me. If it means less Jordan presence OVERALL, it wouldn't be fine.

In any case, I don't think we'll have less Jordan. Did you see his keyboard setup? Are you considering the fact he has a shitload of apps he used? What about the Seaboard? There's a lot of new stuff Jordan brought into the album which we know as a fact, and I don't think he would've used it for 5 second parts or so on.

[DreamerTV]

How unhelpful... 

Oh well, I'm not in too much of a rush to get the single anyhow.

Actually, i also tried to ask them when they're going to release it, needless to say they didn't answer to that (now that i think about it, it's more strange that they didn't say SOON!)

btw, finally some recognition!

[Dark Castle]

Man, RR have GOT to be annoyed. 
Seriously guys, it's still two months out from the release date, DON'T WORRY, there will be more info as it gets closer. Revocation didn't release a single for their album coming out August 6th until earlier this month.

[Kotowboy]

Most singles are announced way in advance. The album is out in two months. You normally have a single 1 - 2 months before that and it's announced even sooner.