The Looking Glass Discussion Thread

[Rodni Demental]

I must say, I never quite got the whole Rush comparison for this song specifically (I could agree with it but I likely wouldn't have a drawn the comparison by myself), I mean DT have a bunch of 'Rush' moments in various songs.. But just the other day, I had DT12 in the car stereo while going for a drive with a buddy of mine. He likes Dream Theater but he doesn't nearly follow them as much as myself. I guess he thought it was mix CD or something because when we hit the 3rd track (before the vocals) he turned his head and said to me "Rush?". I couldn't believe it, his comment surprised me and I just laughed. This guy doesn't listen to Rush, just heard them through me sometimes and he instantly thought the start of TLG was a Rush song...

So... Yeah, I guess it does have some kinda Rush vibe goin on there, at least with the guitaring.

[Ben_Jamin]

Its an obvious homage to the intro of limelight. That doesn't bother me, what does is the ending. Sounds like they didn't know how to end it without a fadeout.

[nattmorker]

I have never heard "Limelight" but I've always heard the Rush influence in this songs, specially in the intro.

Maybe this is a little off topic, but I really like the short arpeggios JR plays in this song, i'm talking about the one right before the first verse (0:31 in the official youtube video) and the one before the "You are not content with being nameless and unknown..." verse (1:49 in the official video from the opera house).

[NotePad]

I think Looking Glass is one of the best songs they've written in a long time. Amazing song.

[Stadler]

The more DT sounds like Rush, the better, in my opinion, and I don't mean that literally (like The Looking Glass, or the end of Learning to Live), I just mean the more that the band interacts and doesn't just go for "heavy" the better I like it.

[Dublagent66]

Its an obvious homage to the intro of limelight. That doesn't bother me, what does is the ending. Sounds like they didn't know how to end it without a fadeout.

You're right and the ending just baffles the mind.  Which is distressing in itself because this is one of the 3 songs on the album that I actually like.  Classic DT structure and vocals.  Great JP solo and another homage to Rush by playing the solo over just a bass line rather than the customary rhythm guitar underneath as well.  However, the ending is completely underwhelming.

[TAC]

I have never heard "Limelight" but I've always heard the Rush influence in this songs, specially in the intro.

What? You've never heard Limelight, but recognize the Rush Influence? 

The more DT sounds like Rush, the better, in my opinion, and I don't mean that literally (like The Looking Glass, or the end of Learning to Live), I just mean the more that the band interacts and doesn't just go for "heavy" the better I like it.

I'm a lifelong disgruntled Rush fan. They lost me at Signals, and I was prepared to have them as my favorite band. (of course I was in the 8th grade). To me, they've never come close to capturing what they were back then.
When I became a DT fan in mid '92, I always said that this is the music Rush should be playing.

[Rodni Demental]

I have never heard "Limelight" but I've always heard the Rush influence in this songs, specially in the intro.

What? You've never heard Limelight, but recognize the Rush Influence? 

My friend I mentioned had never heard Limelight, but still got a Rush vibe from the song. I would argue it only sounds like Limelight for about 2 or 3 seconds, the development of the riffs change pretty quickly.

Its an obvious homage to the intro of limelight. That doesn't bother me, what does is the ending. Sounds like they didn't know how to end it without a fadeout.

You're right and the ending just baffles the mind.

Is it related to the subject of the song? Like things ending too soon? I dunno if that is intentional but it feels like the kind of thing DT might have deliberately considered while composing.

[nattmorker]

I have never heard "Limelight" but I've always heard the Rush influence in this songs, specially in the intro.

What? You've never heard Limelight, but recognize the Rush Influence? 

Well, I've discovered Rush just a couple of years ago, so far I've listened to the last album and some isolated songs. That's the reason

[Stadler]

I'm a lifelong disgruntled Rush fan. They lost me at Signals, and I was prepared to have them as my favorite band. (of course I was in the 8th grade). To me, they've never come close to capturing what they were back then.
When I became a DT fan in mid '92, I always said that this is the music Rush should be playing.

Not to quibble, but it's not the band that lost you, or lost it's way, it's you that haven't followed them where they went and haven't been able, or willing, to keep up.

A band does what a band does, and fans either follow along or get off the bandwagon.  But (provided a band's musical integrity is reasonably intact, and that is unassailable in the case of Rush) what a band plays is what they should be playing, not the other way around.   

[Dublagent66]

Its an obvious homage to the intro of limelight. That doesn't bother me, what does is the ending. Sounds like they didn't know how to end it without a fadeout.

You're right and the ending just baffles the mind.

Is it related to the subject of the song? Like things ending too soon? I dunno if that is intentional but it feels like the kind of thing DT might have deliberately considered while composing.

Not sure of the intent and if it really matters.  The result is less than memorable when compared to the rest of the song.  It's a shame too because I like the song a lot.  Oh well...like the Stones say, "you don't always get what you want."