A Dramatic TEN of Events !!

[Kotowboy]

  The album is TEN years old this month!! In Eleven Days.

• What were your initial thoughts on the album ?

• How do you like the album now ?

I might give it a spin in full later. But I remember liking it - even if the drums were a bit quiet. Sounded like classic DT to me and I think I preferred it to the previous two albums.

I LOVE This Is The Life.

[Adami]

It's not bad. Music is mostly pretty good and the last album I really connected with musically. Lyrically it's not fantastic, especially Outcry. Production is mostly meh but it's not bad once you lean into it and accept it.

This is the Life is one of the worst DT songs I've heard. I just cannot stand that song. In my own personal opinion of course.

[Lonk]

On a good day, the album reaches top-5 for me. I remember my first reaction to OTBOA was "the structure is similar to PMU" and I liked that. From the beginning I liked most of the songs (Yes, including BMU,BMD). Over time, I do not listen to Outcry or BAI as much as I did for the first few years the album was out. I still listen to Bridges (the reason why I bought a 7string guitar) and TITL fairly frequent. OTBOA, BMUBMD, LNF are songs that I play every now and then. FFH and BTS are nice, If they come on, I'll listen.

Overall a great album.

[Stadler]

It's not bad. Music is mostly pretty good and the last album I really connected with musically. Lyrically it's not fantastic, especially Outcry. Production is mostly meh but it's not bad once you lean into it and accept it.

This is the Life is one of the worst DT songs I've heard. I just cannot stand that song. In my own personal opinion of course.

You're wrong of course.  This Is The Life is a top ten DT song for me (and the only Mangini-era song that breaks into that group).

[Adami]

It's not bad. Music is mostly pretty good and the last album I really connected with musically. Lyrically it's not fantastic, especially Outcry. Production is mostly meh but it's not bad once you lean into it and accept it.

This is the Life is one of the worst DT songs I've heard. I just cannot stand that song. In my own personal opinion of course.

You're wrong of course.  This Is The Life is a top ten DT song for me (and the only Mangini-era song that breaks into that group).

I am correct that it is one of their worst songs for me. Which obviously means it's top for you. 

[WilliamMunny]

Good thread...this one snuck up on me (has it really been ten years already?)

My intial thoughts? I 'liked' the album, but wished it had a bit more, well, for lack of a better word, I wished it had more 'oomph.'

My thoughts now? I LOVE this album, and over the past ten years, it is one of the few DT albums I consistently revisit.

I've made my peace with the production, and I now appreciate it for what it is.

As for the record itself, I now consider it to possess the following:

—some of JP's best lyrics

—a top-3 'rocker' (Bridges in the Sky)

—my favorite 'ballad' (This is the Life)

—one of JLB's best vocal performances (Breaking All Illusions)

—a top-3 'epic' (Breaking All Illusions)

So yeah, I think this one has aged incredibly well for me.

[Adami]

Oh yea, Breaking All Illusions is top notch stuff, even if I don't dig the lyrics very much.

[the_silent_man]

Really great album, had the classic DT sound, was very melodic and was full of adventurous proggy structures and instrumental sections, something I feel was lost a bit on the following albums in favour of being "concise".

My only complaints are that the production is weak and saps the energy out of songs such as "Bridges", and even though I really like all the ballads, the album didn't need 3 of them. I would have saved 1 of them back for another album and replaced it with a shorter "rock" track.

Strongest overall album since TOT in my opinion. Probably my 6th favourite overall. I can remember clearly how excited I was back when it came out.

[lovethedrake]

My initial thoughts were that I was happy they finally changed directions back to a more proggy sound a little bit.

Over time though I found the album forgettable and it’s the album I listen to least now.   The production just ruins it.   Aside from the one part in lost not forgotten there’s not a vocal melody on the album that excites me. 

Holds its place firmly as my least favorite Dream Theater album.  It’s still a fine recording overall, just the worst of all their albums imo.

[The Letter M]

It's still my favorite album from the Post-Portnoy era, although DOT is close behind it. I don't listen to DT as much as I used to anymore, but I still find myself reaching for this one whenever I'm in a DT mood. The last three tracks are probably some of my favorites on the whole album.

-Marc.

[Kotowboy]

It's not bad. Music is mostly pretty good and the last album I really connected with musically. Lyrically it's not fantastic, especially Outcry. Production is mostly meh but it's not bad once you lean into it and accept it.

This is the Life is one of the worst DT songs I've heard. I just cannot stand that song. In my own personal opinion of course.

You're wrong of course.  This Is The Life is a top ten DT song for me (and the only Mangini-era song that breaks into that group).

I am correct that it is one of their worst songs for me. Which obviously means it's top for you. 

No  You're wrong. And I'm now going to insult you personally for your taste in music which doesn't affect me in any way because Internet.

[bosk1]

My opinion hasn't changed:  top 3 album.

[Kotowboy]

My opinion hasn't changed:  top 3 album.

I think it's JUST outside my top 5.  A lot of Dt albums are so good it's actually hard to pick a top 5.


Plus : This Is The Life > > > Breaking All Illusions.

Breaking All Illusions has a nice opening riff but after that it's pretty boring to me.

[TAC]

I think This Is The Life is one of the best written sings in the DT catalog. I'm not saying it's a favorite (I do really like it), but I think it's impeccably written.

[bosk1]

A lot of Dt albums are so good it's actually hard to pick a top 5.

Agreed.

Plus : This Is The Life > > > Breaking All Illusions.

Breaking All Illusions has a nice opening riff but after that it's pretty boring to me.

This is the first album in a long time where I significantly liked all the ballads and would put them on the same level as the non-ballads.  And with BAI being my least favorite on the album (and one of my least favorites in the Mangini era), I would certainly put it behind This is the Live by a pretty big margin.  But I have a hard time calling it "boring." 

[YtseBitsySpider]

Bridges in The Sky is the only song that hooked my interest for more than a spin or three and that song consistently makes my DT playlists and probably is a top 20 for me

The rest of the album has a hastily thrown together sound about it

[Lonk]

I wonder if we will get 1-2 tracks from this album on the new tour 

They played BAI during Images and Worlds tour, Bridges in 2015 European tour leg and OTBOA during the self titled tour. Maybe we will get LNF or TITL 

[bosk1]

Maybe one.  I wouldn't expect 2, just because they have a somewhat shorter set since they have an opener, and there is a 20+ minute song on the new album, which I am guessing they will play, along with a good portion of the "shorter" songs.  That isn't going to leave a ton of space in the set.

[hunnus2000]

When the TOT discussion came up, TOT also came up on my playlist and right after that,  ADTOE. I love ADFTOE for the melodic nature of the album and indeed I love the MM era catalog for the same reason.

TOT on the other hand is almost void of vocal hooks and indeed half of the band's catalog is really void of vocals hooks during the MP era.

ADTOE really is a fine album and shows JLB and JR stretching out. Don't get me wrong, I love TOT, it still gets my horns up! 

[Kotowboy]

A lot of Dt albums are so good it's actually hard to pick a top 5.

Agreed.

Plus : This Is The Life > > > Breaking All Illusions.

Breaking All Illusions has a nice opening riff but after that it's pretty boring to me.

This is the first album in a long time where I significantly liked all the ballads and would put them on the same level as the non-ballads.  And with BAI being my least favorite on the album (and one of my least favorites in the Mangini era), I would certainly put it behind This is the Live by a pretty big margin.  But I have a hard time calling it "boring."

It's definitely better than Along For The Ride.

[Kotowboy]

Maybe one.  I wouldn't expect 2, just because they have a somewhat shorter set since they have an opener, and there is a 20+ minute song on the new album, which I am guessing they will play, along with a good portion of the "shorter" songs.  That isn't going to leave a ton of space in the set.

They could do A Dramatic Medley of Events. 

[bosk1]

A lot of Dt albums are so good it's actually hard to pick a top 5.

Agreed.

Plus : This Is The Life > > > Breaking All Illusions.

Breaking All Illusions has a nice opening riff but after that it's pretty boring to me.

This is the first album in a long time where I significantly liked all the ballads and would put them on the same level as the non-ballads.  And with BAI being my least favorite on the album (and one of my least favorites in the Mangini era), I would certainly put it behind This is the Live by a pretty big margin.  But I have a hard time calling it "boring."

It's definitely better than Along For The Ride.

You should have quit while you were ahead.

[hefdaddy42]

It's a great album.  My favorite of the Mangini era.

[Kotowboy]

Along For The Ride is possibly the worst MM era ballad.

[bosk1]

That's a weird typo.  I think you meant to say "Along for the Ride is possibly the best ballad DT have ever written." 

[pg1067]

I generally liked it when it came out.  It was surpassed by DT12, but it's a close second among the four MM-era albums.  I don't have any issues with the supposed production issue mentioned by many and, while the structural similarity of BAI to LTL was evident almost from the first listen, I've never really noticed any of the other purported analogs.

Nowadays, I think OTBOA is just OK.  I really like/love BITS, Outcry and BAI (BAI is a top 10-15 DT song for me).  Not a fan at all of LNF, and BMUBMD is a bit meh (although it's fun live).  TITL and FFH are quite meh, and I like BTS, although I don't really spend any time listening to it.

That's a weird typo.  I think you meant to say "Along for the Ride is possibly the best ballad DT have ever written." 

 

[Trav86]

It was a refreshing return after (what to me is) the worst few years of the band. My fandom really waned with BC&SL.  The Portnoy drama, drummer search, all of that got me back into the band. Hearing ADTOE for the first time was like this glorious emotional experience.It reminded of the first time I played one of their albums, I was so enthralled. I still love it to this day. I don’t go back to it as much, but when I do, all of those feelings come rushing back.

[Adami]

Along For The Ride is possibly the worst MM era ballad.

I dig that one a lot more, oddly, though none of their modern ballads have been terribly interesting to me.

[TAC]

AFTR is a fine song. No issues with it. But Out Of Reach is...I think it might be the worst song of the MM Era.

[hefdaddy42]

Along For The Ride is possibly the worst MM era ballad.

Kind of an odd category.  I can't think of any Mangini-era ballads that are bad.

Certainly nothing to compare to the assery of The Answer Lies Within.

[RoeDent]

September 12th is the big day in UK/EU, 13th in USA. This was 4 years prior to New Music Friday becoming a thing.

[XJDenton]

Top 5 certainly. Some elements of it I would put up with IAW and Awake.

[DreamerTV]

That's a weird typo.  I think you meant to say "Along for the Ride is possibly one of the best ballad DT have ever written - until the keyboard solo kicks in"

Fixed

It didn't age well with me, i think a couple of songs are really weird (Build Me Up Break Me Down being the weirdest of them all). I've never get all the excitement about On the Backs of Angels, while i do think This is the Life is absolutely awesome. Yeah, and of course there's Breaking all Illusions, which alone slays preatty much the 2 previous albums.

[nick_z]

This is the first album in a long time where I significantly liked all the ballads and would put them on the same level as the non-ballads.  And with BAI being my least favorite on the album (and one of my least favorites in the Mangini era), I would certainly put it behind This is the Live by a pretty big margin.  But I have a hard time calling it "boring."

This is quite surprising to me - Do you not particularly like the song, or is it just in relative terms? I LOVE the song - and not just automatically because "it's long, it has JM lyrics"  I find it's great melodically and there are moments that truly bring me back to my favorite DT. Yes, there are some throwbacks to Learning to Live's structure, but the song comfortably stands on its own. Long story short, it's one of my favorites of the Mangini era. So, just curious about your drastically different view on it 

[nick_z]

By the way - not to revisit a topic that I'm pretty sure was extensively discussed already - but if we are thinking about inspiration from I&W song structures, the one song where it really jumped at me was Lost Not Forgotten/Under a Glass Moon...