Written by [user id=329624] on 28.05.2023 at 11:17

That is because people usually don't realise how closely along classic neo-prog scene Dream Theater is playing. If you think about it, an AOR track isn't that much apart from songs like Surrounded, Take The Time or even Learning To Live. I'm not gonna pretend that I am a fan of AOR, because I'm not, but Another Day is a song which greatly executes its concept. Power ballad with great emphasis on warm keyboard soundscapes and smooth jazzy sax? Sure, it sounds a little too much light-weighted and cheap, but isn't completely spineless and insubstantial like the rest of Dream Theater's ballads (especially songs like Wither and Forsaken, whose sole purpose is to lengthen overall running-time of an album).

I don't know if the purpose of ballads is to lengthen the running time, that would be rather dumb, wouldn't it? Nothing wrong with a ballad if they are good, expressive, there are plenty of good ballads (Another day is definitely a good one). Nothing worst than a bad cheesy, corny ballad though, I've unfortunately heard a few of those.
Ballads are usually a breather, a band slowing things down a bit after an intense hard rocking piece of music. Nothing wrong with that.

Written by [user id=329624] on 28.05.2023 at 12:53

I agree, although I didn't imply that. What I said is that later Dream Theater albums are full of purposeless filler ballads, like Wither and Forsaken, and Another Day isn't one of them.

People use the word filler for songs they dislike. I'm guilty of that sometimes, too.
I bet there are people that like those two ballads you mentioned. Nothing wrong with that either.

I think my main reason for not giving this a 9 is "Learning to Live". Whilst it's a pretty good song, having "Wait For Sleep" and it close off the album feels quite weak compared to the 6 preceding masterpieces.

I'd go as far as calling "Learning to Live" my favourite Dream Theater song. Or at least put it in the Top 3.

Love "Wait for Sleep" as well.

Written by Azarath on 16.01.2024 at 22:07

I'd go as far as calling "Learning to Live" my favourite Dream Theater song. Or at least put it in the Top 3.

Definitely one of their best songs.

Learning To Live is 100% the best Dream Theater song

Although, that midsection of the song where LaBrie sings that really high ascending melody then the solo kicks in is actually one of the best moments on the record.

Written by Azarath on 16.01.2024 at 22:07

I'd go as far as calling "Learning to Live" my favourite Dream Theater song. Or at least put it in the Top 3.

Love "Wait for Sleep" as well.

Same here. Both, Wait for Sleep and Learning to Live are album highlights and also all-time favourite DT songs for me. That is though not too much of a surprise on my side since this is by far the DT album I enjoy the most.

Written by [user id=329624] on 15.01.2024 at 12:31

But I'll say that Under A Glass Moon is pretty overrated.

Definitely weakest song of the album for me.

I'll agree regarding "Under a Glass Moon". But man, look at the heavy hitters on this album: Pull Me Under, Take the Time, Metropolis, Learning to Live...

Even the slower ballad-type songs are, at their "weakest" (i.e. Another Day), ones I like a lot. And "Wait for Sleep" and "Surrounded" are personal favourites. I find them both incredibly moving.

"Pull Me Under" was the first DT song I ever heard. Still one of my favourites.

I really like Under A Glass Moon - not the best song on the album and a mid chorus, but I really enjoy the general tone and vibe of it (particularly the intro), and it has an awesome solo. Take The Time was always the track I found least memorable here, but even that's a great song; the only part of the album I don't especially enjoy is the instrumental bit in the middle of Metropolis Pt 1 tbh - bit too wanky for me, unfortunate foreshadowing of some of their soloing on subsequent records

Another day and Surrounded are the weaker tracks of the record for me. If we're talking purely about the prog tracks, I'd say Pull Me Under is my least favorite here but it still goes hard as hell

Written by [user id=329624] on 19.01.2024 at 15:17

Another Day and Surrounded are still very prog tracks. I think you meant something like: "If we're talking purely about the metal tracks".

Yeah I hesitated with that formulation, but you got the idea

My most favorite DT album. Today I was listening to top 10 riffs of DT uploaded by a fan in youtube. Suddenly I thought of revisiting this album. Its a gem which cannot be reproduced even by DT themselves.