I feel like I've had enough listens to The Astonishing now to be able to judge it and consider it in the context of DT's discography.
As a piece of music, I really think this is the most impressive thing they've ever composed. Very consistent, very beautiful, deceptively complex.
As for the album's storytelling... I think it's mediocre. The lyrics and pacing are a little clumsy and occasionally amateurish. For me, that's really not a big deal- I honestly find it refreshing that it's not a self-serious 'dark' or 'gritty' story. I wonder if it could have been improved had they brought in someone else to storyboard JP's idea, although that might have had other negative consequences.
Taken as a whole, I'd now put this in my top 3 DT albums, and as a concept album I enjoy this more than SFAM. Awake and I&W are still the top 2 for now.
I find something to enjoy in every song on the record, but there are a few moments that jar with me:
- The crying at the beginning of Losing Faythe. I like the song, but that stock sample (or whatever it is) sucks.
- The 'children laughing' sample during Act of Faythe. Something about it is really out-of-place and off-putting.
- The BCYHM? melody. It's not bad, it just strikes me as bland and kind of hamfisted.
- The placement of 'Begin Again'. It's a decent song, but has more mundane, unnecessary lyrics about 'new beginnings' and throws the record's pacing in the 2nd act.
- Fading out one of JP's finest ever solos in A New Beginning. Why?
- The closing track (Astonishing) is just.... OK. Feels a little too sluggish, kind of a disappointing closer for me.
But beyond that.... this is really, REALLY good music. With a bit of editing and some better lyrics this would be one of my all-time favorites. As it is, it's still something I thoroughly enjoy listening to.