5) Dream Theater - I don't feel that this album hasn't aged so well. Although it has some pretty high moments (Illumination Theory), I feel that they've made superior versions of the songs that are to be found in here in plenty of other albums. I feel they kinda wasted their "self-titled" card with this one,
I have to admit this thought has crossed my mind before. I went back and gave it a good listen and realize why they did and am kind of surprised it never was obvious to me.
In many ways this should be the quintessential DT album. It has * everything* that has made up their career.
It of course has the epic - Illumination Theory
It has the ballad - Along for the Ride
It has the instrumental - Enigma Machine, though it's not the crazy noodley instrumental a lot of DT fans like. Me being an exception.
It has the Rushy song - The Looking Glass
It has a heavy, almost thrashy tune - The Enemy Inside
It has a mini epic - The Bigger Picture, which is one of the best songs they've ever recorded in my view
It has an orchestral instrumental - False Awakening Suite
Then it's got two other songs I can't quite place but the point is, if Dream Theater had a menu, this album gives you everything on it.
For me, I thought FAS was kinda bland. I don't care for their Rush-esque songs. The other two I couldn't describe don't do it for me either. And im not crazy about TEI. That's five songs right there.
On the flipside, you know my view on TBP. AFTR I think is excellent. EM is my ideal type of instrumental. IT gets no complaints from me except I'm not 100% sold on The lyrics and I can't explain why.
What's funny is I hear very few people agreeing what the high points are but most think there are some. I hear very few people saying the album is trash. I hear very few people liking the album from start to finish.
So in a sense, naming it Dream Theater was perfect. It really does represent their entire career. It's just not everybody loves ToT or their What Would Rush Write songs. Not everybody loves an instrumental that doesn't cause the sun to melt. But almost everybody loves some of those things.
I love ToT but think TEI pales in comparison. I can do without Dance of Eternity and would much rather listen to EM. I think AFTR is better than TSCO. I'm kinda shocked more people don't love TBP. Half the songs bore me but half are among their best.