I think after a couple of weeks that I may prefer Distance Over Time just slightly but the new album is really close.
I had the same exact thought this morning...
While DOT took a while for me to come around, once it clicked, I listened to it incessently.
This new record is damn good, and I've enjoyed the hell out of it, but it lacks an 'At Wits End' caliber song, and for that reason alone, I suspect it will wind up as a 'middle of the pack' release for me. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever, and at this point, 15 albums in, I consider the band's ability to still deliver a solid release to be a pretty impressive feat.
Interesting. I keep coming back to this album and having different song or bits of songs stuck in my head. I didn't find D/T quite as..."addicting," for lack of a better term. But your point about it lacking "an 'At Wits End' caliber song" is an interesting one. I'm not sure I would go that far, at least not yet. But while the album as a whole is pretty addicting, there isn't a particular song that has had such a huge impact on me as At Wits End, S2N, or Out of Reach. I'm not sure what that will mean as time passes and I can setting this album into my private DT discography ranking. But it's interesting to ponder.
But a lot of the sections are built on odd number over eight grooves that are interesting, and do make the song feel darker, but they're really hard to feel the groove for.
That is an interesting point. On my initial couple of listens, I felt that exactly that way too. As I became more familiar with the songs, I..."found the groove," for lack of a better description. It just kind of fell into place. But I agree that it isn't as accessible on the surface on this album as on their past ones, and I wonder what that will mean in terms of overall reception. And I wonder whether, for some, "the groove" just won't ever click for them.
I stated something similar a few pages back, but this album is copping the exact same amount of treatment as every new album. Some (I’ll include myself in this group), will like most the things the band has done and may not connect with everything, but will find things they enjoy on every DT release. Some will hail the new album as the holy grail, born from the mountaintops of Jerusalem after a day of listening. Some will flat out not enjoy it. Some won’t give it a “real” chance, because they really just aren’t into the band anymore. Some will still swear black and blue that MM just overplays everything and has sucked the life out of the band, etc, etc.
All I know is: I’ve been listening to the band for over 30 years (I cherished my Images and words cassette). And the band has given me some real joy and music to smile about over the years. I love every album to varying degrees. But EVERY album has tracks I skip too. I take the good with the not so good. I liked MP’s drumming, he needed to be replaced, and I like MM’s drumming just as much. Debate it all you want, but the truth is - they are drummers, and both of their work with the band is just fine. The average punter wouldn’t even know they changed drummers if you played them some random tracks.
Im not technical at all. So, it comes down to how the songs sound. And they have high quality tracks on every release from WDADU right to the latest in View. To suggest laziness, or so and so doesn’t sound great - it’s DT. Nothing is that different. They experiment. They time change. They do long. They do short. They do epic. They do metal. They do melody. And they still always bring quality after over 30 years…
Wow, what a great post. I can't say I agree with every word of it, but I pretty much agree with the overall sentiment of every point.
ReaPsTA actually had the perfect answer already about a half a page up.
Well, that's why Reap is U.N.Y.
But to address the last few pages of posts from a 30,000 foot level, I have to say that erwinrafael is spot on in his criticisms of what you post. You keep making statements, NOT providing examples (notwithstanding your protests that you have), and shifting the goalposts when asked for clarification. He and others are not asking you to write a treatise to defend yourself, but just to provide a few specifics and stop making grand pronouncements that have an authoritative tone without any substance to back them up. Either (1) stop writing treatises that
don't substantive address the very issues you are raising, and actual address the issue with something approaching conciseness, or (2) stop arguing, because you are going in circles.
Oh hey, I FINALLY received my artbook set. I haven't had time to listen to the instrumental version or watch the blu-ray, but the packaging is definitely gorgeous. Very impressive.
As the number of physical CDs that I buy dwindles, I have really come to love this format for the ones I get.
Interesting. I haven't really bought into that format. It takes up too much space, and I actually would prefer that new CD purchases fit neatly onto the CD shelves next to the other CDs without calling attention to themselves or needing a custom space that I frankly don't have. My wife HATES that I still buy CDs. My purchasing of physical media has somewhat tapered off in recent years, but I'll still buy the physical media for bands I actively listen to regularly. But I have been going digital only for some. I have had a string of purchases in the past few months that have resulted in my wife scratching her head at the new pile of CD's on my dresser (Transatlantic, Epica, Neal Morse, Evergrey, Fates, Trivium, Maiden, DT) and wondering what happened to the digital-only movement.
Topic: *Official* A View from the Top of the World discussion thread (Read 145225 times)