Dream Theater - The Astonishing

Alex

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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Wow, I haven't been really paying attention to the press. This is wild. Probably a littletooambitious. But they did write one of my favorite concept albums of all time in Scenes From a Memory (my favorite DT album) so maybe they can pull it off.
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
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Yeah, I'm not 100% there with it, but if the whole thing is well done and the concept cool, etc... I think it'll be good.
 
S

Seventh

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A dude posted this on my site, after pointing out that the new single sounds like sitcom music. It's fuckin' spot on.

 
Alex

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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I wanna see that girl without her arm over her titties.
 
Alex

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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This came out today. Haven't listened to it yet, but have it queued up on Google Play.
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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Thanks for the reminder, just firing it up.

edit; wtf is going on in The Gift of Music at 1:22, lol. Is that like a clever production trick while he says 'Time' or a joke about autotune and people not caring? Happens at 1:24 on When Your Time Has Come too... maybe it is a Google Music thing.
 
N

Neph_sl

shitlord
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Not even halfway through, but started listening on my commute home. This album is huge and I started getting lost in the story. There's a lot of story in the track listing in the original post. Although the formatting is weird / missing on my phone.

I get that they only have LaBrie as their singer, but some guest vocal would've helped separate the characters. I had the same problem with Scenes from a Memory.
 
N

Neph_sl

shitlord
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Ha. Yeah. 2 hrs and 10 minutes long means you really have to commit to listening to it. I'll get around to it eventually...
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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That's really the best way it can be described. It is so hard to listen to. Not because it is bad, at least I don't think it is? It'll take more listens but, man, it doesn't come off as easy to consume. It is no Scenes From a Memory and not even The Human Equation, which I think like Neph mentioned it would have benefitted immensely with some guest vocalists.
 
Alex

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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I don't think it's very good. I only listened to it once in its entirety so I should give it more time but there are so many parts when it is groanworthy cheesy that I know I'll never like it. Which is impressive because we're talking about Dream Theater here. They just don't have it anymore.

Steven Wilson's new EP 4 1/2 is great. Y'all should check that out.
 
Noodleface

Noodleface

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Also I listened to this on Spotify so it was a bit random. Most of the songs were really boring and since it was random it made no sense. Pass
 
N

Neph_sl

shitlord
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Got through the first listen, and I really want to like the album. It's missing a 'Spirit Carries On' moment in the second act. Also, yes, this shit is cheesy and they need to get an editor for Petrucci. I'm all for creative freedom, but the story is weak.

But I like the overall complexity of the whole album, the fact that it's not 'easy' for the listener, so I'm not willing to throw it away yet.
 
Noodleface

Noodleface

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Petrucci has been always a weird guy. Monster player but never really broke free from dream Theater.
 
E

Elidroth_sl

shitlord
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I love it but I absolutely understand people getting lost in the story. They should have used different singers for each character on the CD.
 
Braen

Braen

<Medals Crew>
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I miss the effect Portnoy has on DT. A while back, I thought Kevin Moore was their soul. It took them a while after Awake to get back on track like 5 years. Falling into Infinity to me was their worst Post Kevin Moore album. Scene from a Memory is one of my favorite albums of all time.

Since MP left, most of their music, while highly technical, is uninspired. Nothing is grabbing me. The edge and life is gone. I had hopes because the album Dream Theater, had glimpses but The Astonishing, it is missing everything SFAM has. There are no real songs that stand on their own. There isn't a melody that flows through the album that helps tie it all together.

With SFAM, I can listen to a song out of sequence and I feel like, man I want to hear the whole album again. I don't get this from Astonishing. And with it's length, without that draw, I just never want to go back on the journey and would rather listen to SFAM.

I know MP will never go back while JLB is still there. I have always thought the weakest part of DT was their vocals. They could have just about any singer they want and they keep him. Never understood it.
 
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