On I&W, I actively dislike Another Day. Surrounded and Take the Time are just so-so songs that I could take or leave, and UAGM has its moments, but isn't much better to me overall. (the other four songs on the album, however, are stellar)
On Awake, I actively dislike Space Dye Vest. No interest in Lifting Shadows are Innocence Faded. Caught in a Web is just "okay."
Still VERY good albums overall, and as I think I said above, they would be my #5 and #6. But they are both uneven and not nearly as consistently strong as ADTOE or DT12, despite higher peaks.
The only sentence in this post that actually makes any sense.
I tend to agree with this.
Haha pretty much. I think he points out some legit weaknesses though. Another Day sounds painfully dated. Take the Time, Surrounded, and UaGM are all choice cuts in my book though.
Regarding Space Dye Vest- I can’t make up my mind about this one- on one hand it’s an interesting, heavy song, but I think LaBrie’s voice doesn’t suit this style of music, and brings it down a peg. Innocence Faded is a cheese fest redeemed by a REALLY good outro and Lifting Shadows is a good 3 minute song, not a good 6 minute song.
I want to preface this with the following: this is NOT a dig at you, Volante99 - I dig your posts and appreciate your insight. But, something you just wrote got me thinking...
I hear the term 'cheese' all the time, been hearing it for years, and I always think the same thing: what the hell does that mean?
I suppose it boils down to perception. I do not, nor have I ever cared how I appear to others when it comes to music. Music is a personal thing for me, and I refuse to apologize for liking anything. If Innocence Faded is 'cheesy,' (I presume bc of the '80's' metal leanings), then I suppose I love 'cheesy' music.
But I sincerely believe that term is rooted in perception, in that it's embarrassing to like overly-earnest, over-the-top performances reminiscent of music that some might deem 'hair metal.'
For me, I never saw the difference. I bought Slaughter's 'The Wild Life' and Nirvana's 'Bleach' on the same day. I must've missed the memo where one was cool and one wasn't, but for me, as a fan, both albums rocked, albeit, for different reasons.
I work with a guy who loves music, but there is so much he's never listened to because of the stigma he's attached to the music. One day, he comes in and goes, "Have you ever heard of Tesla?"
Um, duh...of course!
"That song 'Edison's Medicine' is amazing...I never listened to them because, you know, they're cheesy hair metal, but what a good song."
Talk about a face palm moment. I mean, listen to whatever you want, but I refuse to let media-coined terminology to dictate what I'm gonna check out next. I refuse to let what's 'cool' color what sounds 'good' to me.
Just my two cents, of course, but the term 'cheese' has always bothered me.