Ayreon/Arjen Lucassen Thread (Star Three on the way)

[obscure]

 

[RoeDent]

Are the 42 sections individually tracked, or is it four long tracks (2 per disc)?

[Nick]

Individually tracked.

Though this story could be followed pretty well be ear alone, it's nice to have finally sat down with the booklet. Several things I didn't understand finally came to light, and the conclusion had greater clarity. While there are some bad lyrics on this album, the story is likely the best he's done besides The Human Equation.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

That just means it's better than 01!

Still, good to hear. I hope my copy arrives next week. I always want my first listen to an Ayreon album to be booklet in hand.

[Nick]

Oops, edited to be more clear with what I meant.

[jingle.boy]

For those that want to try it, it's playing for a week at Progstreaming - https://www.progstreaming.com/_wb/index.php

[Perpetual Change]

Hmm. Musically, it's really good.

Vocally, I'm not sure. There's so much operatic oversinging going on. Honestly, that's one of the things which have been causing me to veer away from the progressive metal genre. I don't like it.

Ayreon's always been like that, though, so I can't blame Arjen for personal changes in preference.

[Ben_Jamin]

Still waiting for mine to arrive.

[Nick]

Hmm. Musically, it's really good.

Vocally, I'm not sure. There's so much operatic oversinging going on. Honestly, that's one of the things which have been causing me to veer away from the progressive metal genre. I don't like it.

Ayreon's always been like that, though, so I can't blame Arjen for personal changes in preference.

After 01 I think this album REALLY stood out vocally. As is often the case some of the best stuff came from some people I didn't know well, mainly JB and Scabbia. Additionally I think Wetton was fantastic in his role, and Tommy in his.

[Frank]

Damn, I'm still waiting too. It's frustrating to go over the Facebook page and see all of the people who have gotten their orders already.

I'm tempted to forego audio quality and listen to the streaming version for a taste, but because this is Ayreon, I really want to be able to read the lyrics for the first time as well. Does anybody know if I can find the lyrics online anywhere?

[Bolsters]

I've listened to the whole thing twice through now, and it hasn't improved at all for me. I really cannot understand why it seems like such a chore for me to listen to it, so far I haven't been able to listen to either disc all the way through in one sitting let alone both discs. The most I can muster up is to listen to one of the four songs each time I put it on because the tracks themselves are supposed to be a part of a greater whole and I don't think it does the album any favours while I'm trying to get into it not to listen to a whole song.

I still haven't warmed up to 01011001 all that much either, but I don't have the same reaction to that album that I do this one. Very disappointing after five years.

So far Entanglement is the better of the four songs for me.

[Evermind]

Mine hasn't arrived yet. Really eager to listen, but I think I'll wait for my copy.

[Metabog]

It's a masterpiece. It took me several listens. The first time I thought it was kind of underwhelming but as I've started remembering the melodies and lyrics and the story I kind of get goosebumps from it now and hum bits of it when walking around.

The singing in The Parting by Michael Mills is just nuts, I heard it in the previews ages ago and I remember saying "holy crap this singer is amazing". Well in the context of the story it's even more epic.

[Nefarius]

Guess what was waiting for me in the mail coming home after work yesterday? Listened to the whole thing in the evening while reading the background story and lyrics.

I like the music, I like the story, the artwork is fantastic, the regular instrumentalists are great, the guest instrumentalists fit, the production is top notch. Oh and DT should take lessons with Arjen to find out about the true meaning of "cinematic" (and maybe production too).

But although the individual singers are definitely good or even great at what they are doing (not counting which styles I personally like or dislike) my first impression was there are several serious miscasts. For my taste Father (Michael Mills), Girl (Sara Squadrani), and especially Prodigy (Tommy Karevik) don't portray their characters very well (Mills, Squadrani) or not at all (Karevik).

BTW what's up with that break in the "Transformation" track? I listened to the album stream to check if it's intentional or my CD was fucked up. It seems to be the way it was supposed to be but it still sounds kinda wrong.

Looking forward to the next spin tonight.

Greetings...
Nef

[ariich]

Listening on Spotify, and some of the music is really good. Particularly in the final song, that's probably my favourite.

The lyrics are pretty meh, but mostly standard Arjen-fare, with only the occasional cringe moment (Eintein's relativity and Heisenberg's uncertainty, good god).

In terms of the story, I feel like I should at some point give the album a dedicated listen along with the lyrics. I'm not getting much from it at the moment.

[Cyclopssss]

What I was thinking was> You've managed to pull off a bank scam, becoming 'wealthy beyond your wildest dreams'. Ok, The rival buggers off never to be heard from again, and what does the prodigy do? Does he buy a penthouse, or a condo? No, he hides away in an abandoned lighthouse trying to finish a theory....ok?! 

[Nick]

The prodigy didn't help for money, he helped to get the drug to be able to work on the theory again.

[Metabog]

The prodigy didn't help for money, he helped to get the drug to be able to work on the theory again.

This is how I understand it as well. The prodigy had no interest in money, he had one purpose in life, to solve the theory of everything. That's why he just goes catatonic at the end when it's done. There's something supernatural in this album, or maybe some kind of alien influence, since the father basically comes back from the dead either for real or in his mind, and his writing ends up on the blackboard. I was half waiting for a "Forever" section at the very end, like in THE  .

Also, I love The Breakthrough, it's so cheesy and good. Fermions, baryons! Isn't this exactly why we listen to Ayreon? It's just his style.

[Nick]

Breakthrough is awesome, Ariich be damned!

[Nefarius]

I agree, it's not cheesy or cringeworthy. Arjen is a major geek into both Sci and Fi. It may not win a price for outstanding poetry or hidden symbolism but it fits the story and the excitement of the discovery.

I didn't give it another spin last night as I was far too curious for the DVD. And it's everything I expected it to be, funny, inspiring, stupid (in a good way), all in one. Also I'm pretty sure I know how to correctly high five Hoshi and Arjen by now.

And "miscast" was a pretty strong word in my previous post. It's obvious the singers are the right choice for Arjen and his vision. It's just that the styles of the three I mentioned don't match with what I personally would expect their characters to sound like.

Greetings...
Nef

[Ben_Jamin]

Watching the DVD....its funny, and informative.

[kirksnosehair]

Still haven't received mine.    

[rumborak]

It's such a shame such a talented songwriter is always marred by his lyrics. I just can't listen to it, I gave up 10 minutes into this release. I just wish the guy went the Elton John route where he writes the music, and someone else writes the lyrics. I think he would be waaaay more popular than he is now.

[Ben_Jamin]

This is his best album, so far.  The story is portrayed well, and the vocalists do a fantastic job of communicating the emotion of the characters.

Honestly, who gives a rats ass about the diction of the lyrics, it makes no sense to me. Lyrics help explain the message, and if its simplistic I don't mind at all. Because life isn't fancy dazzling glitter all the time...

The way Arjen tells his stories is why I enjoy Ayreon. It may sound cheesy but the portrayal is brilliant.

[Nick]

This is his best album, so far.  The story is portrayed well, and the vocalists do a fantastic job of communicating the emotion of the characters.

Honestly, who gives a rats ass about the diction of the lyrics, it makes no sense to me. Lyrics help explain the message, and if its simplistic I don't mind at all. Because life isn't fancy dazzling glitter all the time...

The way Arjen tells his stories is why I enjoy Ayreon. It may sound cheesy but the portrayal is brilliant.

Ben, I agree in a very big way with what you're saying. However there are times that the lyrics could simply be better, and not so base and dry.

[KevShmev]

It's such a shame such a talented songwriter is always marred by his lyrics. I just can't listen to it, I gave up 10 minutes into this release. I just wish the guy went the Elton John route where he writes the music, and someone else writes the lyrics. I think he would be waaaay more popular than he is now.

I am not sure about that.  Ayreon's music is really only gonna appeal to fans of prog rock and prog metal anyway, and I am pretty sure fans of those types of music are not in it for the lyrics , so I am not sure how much difference better lyrics would make, as far as appeal to the prog masses goes.

[rumborak]

I think I'm part of a sizable percentage of prog likers who would listen to Ayreon if it weren't for the lyrics. Would he be DT popular? Nah, of course not. But as it is the guy is total fringe.

Then again, I might also be just over-picky

[jingle.boy]

I think I'm part of a sizable percentage of prog likers who would listen to Ayreon if it weren't for the lyrics. Would he be DT popular? Nah, of course not. But as it is the guy is total fringe.

Then again, I might also be just over-picky

Curious... what do you base your belief that your 'part of a sizable percentage'?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

It's such a shame such a talented songwriter is always marred by his lyrics. I just can't listen to it, I gave up 10 minutes into this release. I just wish the guy went the Elton John route where he writes the music, and someone else writes the lyrics. I think he would be waaaay more popular than he is now.

Well, there's always Guilt Machine.

[Buddyhunter1]

It's such a shame such a talented songwriter is always marred by his lyrics. I just can't listen to it, I gave up 10 minutes into this release. I just wish the guy went the Elton John route where he writes the music, and someone else writes the lyrics. I think he would be waaaay more popular than he is now.

Well, there's always Guilt Machine.

Indeed.
Love that album.

[ariich]

I think I'm part of a sizable percentage of prog likers who would listen to Ayreon if it weren't for the lyrics. Would he be DT popular? Nah, of course not. But as it is the guy is total fringe.

Then again, I might also be just over-picky

Curious... what do you base your belief that your 'part of a sizable percentage'?

More to the point, why do you think Arjen is "fringe"? He's really popular and successful enough to be getting some really big names involved.

[Nekov]

After two listens I can say I like this album. I need more listens to see how it grows.

[Implode]

Listening through for the first time. That B5 in The Parting holy shit.

[kirksnosehair]

Even though he repeats himself way too much I still love these big, huge, cheesy rock operas that Arjen makes.  I can't help myself        


I even went for the super-deluxe Media book package, and it finally came yesterday, check it out, I took a few quick shots with the phone:




Signed Gigantic version of the digipack, Tee Shirt, and Theory of Everything poster:





Front (signed) of the book - it's about the same size as a typical vinyl.  Nice quality:



Put the Tee-Shirt on for band rehearsal last night:



Found a good home for the poster too:

[Cyclopssss]

Nice to see you're wearing the shirt! Offcourse, I completely got the size wrong again and got a XL instead of an L, and I'm drowning in it....but I don't care, once a geek always a geek...