What are your thoughts on DT12?

[Lucien]

If it weren't so loud I would like it a lot more

[BlackInk]

I've never noticed any loudness, and frankly, I couldn't really care less. Being too loud is the absolute least of this album's problems.

[Dublagent66]

I voted decent as well. Changing my vote to meh. It just has almost no relisten value.

I initially voted disappointing and it still is.  The only way I would change my vote is if there was another category added to the poll that is worse than disappointing.

[BlobVanDam]

Given the recent comments, it would be interesting to re-run the exact same poll again and see how the results compare.

[bosk1]

I might be tempted to bump it from "very strong" to "instant classic," although it took me awhile to get there.

[zecawolf]

I voted "decent", but I think it really is somewhere between that and "very strong"

[BlackInk]

Given the recent comments, it would be interesting to re-run the exact same poll again and see how the results compare.

Yeah I thought of that too.  Although now in-between albums we wouldn't get as many votes. But maybe that's a good thing, since mostly resident and more constantly active members would do the voting.

[BlobVanDam]

Given the recent comments, it would be interesting to re-run the exact same poll again and see how the results compare.

Yeah I thought of that too.  Although now in-between albums we wouldn't get as many votes. But maybe that's a good thing, since mostly resident and more constantly active members would do the voting.

True. Either way, we should have enough regulars to get the numbers.

[bl5150]

If you have a new poll make sure to add a category for "instant classic that took a while"  for bosk1 

[BlobVanDam]

If you have a new poll make sure to add a category for "instant classic that took a while"  for bosk1 

Or we could just change the option to "classic" at this point.

[bosk1]

  "Instant classic" is kind of a silly category anyway.  But I think it is better than "very strong," so...

[BlackInk]

Along For the Ride just came up on shuffle, but I noticed something before skipping. Maybe this has been said before, I don't know, but the sound of water in the begenning is a loop of a sample about 1 second long. Once I noticed that, I'm just astonished that production can be so lazy for a band as "big" as DT. How the hell did that get through? Is it supposed to sound lazy and like a demo by a buch of kids? I genuinely don't understand..

[Kotowboy]

Yes that has been pointed out before on this board.

I'm surprised too as a lot of really cheapy keyboards even have a sample that lasts ages and doesn't sound like a loop.

For someone like Rudess - if he didn't intend it to sound like a 1 second loop - then it's shockingly poor.

Considering something like a Korg Oasys costs upwards of £1,500 and they could have gone to a river and literally recorded some water trickling for 30 seconds.

[The Hairy Man]

Every once in awhile, I pull it out, and I'm always impressed with how good it is, and how well it's aged.

Not been on for a while so catching up but this nearly made me spit my lunch out! Good work, sir! 

[Dublagent66]

If I pulled it out while listening to DT12, it would be pointing south.   

[ResultsMayVary]

I'd still say Very Strong for my vote. It just seems like a strong effort from them. Not in the same tier as Six Degrees, SFAM, etc., but still very good and a fun listen.

[Kotowboy]

If I pulled it out while listening to DT12, it would be pointing south.   

WILLY

[?]

Along For the Ride just came up on shuffle, but I noticed something before skipping. Maybe this has been said before, I don't know, but the sound of water in the begenning is a loop of a sample about 1 second long. Once I noticed that, I'm just astonished that production can be so lazy for a band as "big" as DT. How the hell did that get through? Is it supposed to sound lazy and like a demo by a buch of kids? I genuinely don't understand..

Dammit, now I hear it too!

[Dublagent66]

If I pulled it out while listening to DT12, it would be pointing south.   

WILLY

                       

[Ben_Jamin]

I just realized IT starts out similar to Overture. I had pandora on shuffle then the intro started I thought it was IT then the orchestra started.

[BlobVanDam]

I just realized IT starts out similar to Overture. I had pandora on shuffle then the intro started I thought it was IT then the orchestra started.

Starts AND ends similarly (to SDOIT overall, not just Overture). It's bugged me since the first listen.

[?]

I just realized IT starts out similar to Overture. I had pandora on shuffle then the intro started I thought it was IT then the orchestra started.

Starts AND ends similarly (to SDOIT overall, not just Overture). It's bugged me since the first listen.

Same here, and the solo at the end is basically Razor's Edge 2.0.

[Ben_Jamin]

I just realized IT starts out similar to Overture. I had pandora on shuffle then the intro started I thought it was IT then the orchestra started.

Starts AND ends similarly (to SDOIT overall, not just Overture). It's bugged me since the first listen.

That's true. I got all excited about IT being played on Pandora, then I got surprised it was Overture and the transition was funny from the outro.

[chaossystem]

I voted 'very strong," but my honest opinion is about half-way between "decent" and very strong. I like most of the tracks, but Illumination Theory could have been better, and in my opinion is mostly over-rated.

Also don't like The Bigger Picture.

The rest of it is still better than what most other bands are doing these days. I would rather listen to all of those other songs than pretty much anything on the radio, or about 99% of all the "music" that has come out in the last couple of years that we are required to accept as being "popular!"

[Zook]

Enigma Machine is a fine instrumental, but as of this time I never want to hear it again. Other than that, this album is still really good, but I don't listen to it a whole lot. It's still better than SC, BCSL and ADTOE though.

[pcs90]

Instant classic. There's not one bad track on the album. STR and IT are easily in my top 5 favorite DT songs. I'm not a fan of the mix or the snare sound, but the music itself is awesome. ADTOE and this album really don't have one bad track between them.

[Stadler]

The rest of it is still better than what most other bands are doing these days. I would rather listen to all of those other songs than pretty much anything on the radio, or about 99% of all the "music" that has come out in the last couple of years that we are required to accept as being "popular!"

I'm not sure we're "required" to accept anything.  It's popular because it IS popular, and there is a surprising level of talent and performance in some of today's pop music that is heartbreakingly overlooked.    I've taken to watching Live From Daryl's House and Later...with Jools Holland regardless of who is on (as opposed to just watching people "I like"), and they both have some surprises.  People that I would ordinarily dismiss but who really have the goods, just don't always make music I want to listen to.  But that's on me, not them.

As for DT12, good not great.   I LOVE The Looking Glass, The Bigger Picture, and Along For The Ride, but I also find it isn't an album I go back to very much (and honestly, if it wasn't for the 5.1 mix, it would be even less).   For me, the more DT sounds like Rush with Steve Perry singing on top (i.e. melodic vocals) the better, and this is a big improvement, but it's no Images and Words or Octavarium.

[hefdaddy42]

The rest of it is still better than what most other bands are doing these days. I would rather listen to all of those other songs than pretty much anything on the radio, or about 99% of all the "music" that has come out in the last couple of years that we are required to accept as being "popular!"

I'm not sure we're "required" to accept anything.  It's popular because it IS popular, and there is a surprising level of talent and performance in some of today's pop music that is heartbreakingly overlooked.    I've taken to watching Live From Daryl's House and Later...with Jools Holland regardless of who is on (as opposed to just watching people "I like"), and they both have some surprises.  People that I would ordinarily dismiss but who really have the goods, just don't always make music I want to listen to.  But that's on me, not them.

I love Live From Daryl's House.  That's always fun.

I catch Jools Holland sometimes.  It's normally interesting as well.

[Kotowboy]

Other than that, this album is still really good, but I don't listen to it a whole lot. It's still better than ADTOE though.

Hell Naw.

[Enalya]

Along For the Ride just came up on shuffle, but I noticed something before skipping. Maybe this has been said before, I don't know, but the sound of water in the begenning is a loop of a sample about 1 second long. Once I noticed that, I'm just astonished that production can be so lazy for a band as "big" as DT. How the hell did that get through? Is it supposed to sound lazy and like a demo by a buch of kids? I genuinely don't understand..

REALLY? OMG!
A 1 second loop in 10 seconds is really something to nag about.

I actually think it's intentional, because at the end of that loop there's a kind of ticking sound, or a frog sound repeating itself like the ticking of time.

[Kotowboy]

It has to be intentional. There's no way a band as big as Dream Theater would use a sound so basic especially when Rudess has access to millions of samples / sounds.

[pcs90]

It has to be intentional. You can get longer samples, perfectly legally, for free not to mention they probably already have access to pro sound libraries anyways.

[As I Am]

As time has gone on, DT12 has dropped a notch for me to in between "Decent" and "very strong". The album isn't holding up as well as I had imagined. I still rate ADTOE as a MUCH BETTER album.

[Kotowboy]

I still rate ADTOE as a MUCH BETTER album.

Hell Yaw !

[BlackInk]

REALLY? OMG!
A 1 second loop in 10 seconds is really something to nag about.

Yes, because it sounds amateurish. Like some 12 year old just learning how to use FL-studios. It sure as hell does not sound like a professional production. I think that's a legit nag-point.