MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
I 100% agree with that, but it's also the only song where the vocals have any personality.
Are you saying MP should contribute more to the vocal/lyric writing?? Man 2025 what a time to be alive.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Shockingly....I am.Are you saying MP should contribute more to the vocal/lyric writing?? Man 2025 what a time to be alive.
We've reached a point where LaBrie is so bad and uninspired that even Portnoy can outdo him in writing melodies and lyrics.
I still draw the line at Portnoy providing any lead lead backing vocals and I will piss on their merch booth if he starts doing TUFF GUY "growls" again.
Yea, I think I agree with that. I was wondering if Portnoy would be able to bring more imaginative vocal parts to this album and while I don't love Midnight Messiah (yet), I am definitely glad to hear a different take on the vocal parts.
I was going to also add that JLB generally does well with his own lyrics, Bend the Clock is one that hasn't been discussed much that I think is a very solid song. But then I saw that he also wrote lyrics for A Broken Man, which I had pegged as a pure Petrucci song and one of the weakest vocal moments on the entire album, so IDK.
I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what they aren't doing right because their songwriting hasn't changed that much, but even when I think of fairly recent songs like Bridges in the Sky and The Bigger Picture I feel like I hear JLB driving the material so much more. On these recent albums it feels like he is barely on the bus.
I was going to also add that JLB generally does well with his own lyrics, Bend the Clock is one that hasn't been discussed much that I think is a very solid song. But then I saw that he also wrote lyrics for A Broken Man, which I had pegged as a pure Petrucci song and one of the weakest vocal moments on the entire album, so IDK.
I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what they aren't doing right because their songwriting hasn't changed that much, but even when I think of fairly recent songs like Bridges in the Sky and The Bigger Picture I feel like I hear JLB driving the material so much more. On these recent albums it feels like he is barely on the bus.
OK let me know when the Chicago DT meetup is happening and I'll be there.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Bend The Clock is one of my favorites and JLB does a decent job there. But I completely agree about Broken Man. The lyrics are so bland and not catchy in any way.
JLB has barely been on the bus since his voice took an absolute noise dive after The Astonishing (and it was already very bad anyway). I think he's doing exactly what Tommy Karevik does: writing for longterm sustainability instead of writing for the song.
March 8th, my guy!
Spaldy
Ancient Mariner
Do people still listen to DT for the vocals? In fact, have they ever? For as long as I remember he's always been the weak link and tbh when I listen to a new album my brain seems to filter his voice out.
I just love getting to hear Petrucci and Portnoy play together again. It's their album which is why everyone has taken a backseat. Maybe the next record will be more of a collective effort.
I just love getting to hear Petrucci and Portnoy play together again. It's their album which is why everyone has taken a backseat. Maybe the next record will be more of a collective effort.
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
I certainly do, the vocals are what got me into the band.
Abas
Jester with no tears
Speaking about the vocals: I've listened to to the Awake Demos version a lot more than the actual release because of the vocals. He sounded as if his shower singing was better than others' actual singing
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
You don’t mean that, muh brutha.
I’d prefer him completely off the bus and not on tour, instead being replaced with Tommy Karevik.
They do not. Verses and choruses are the universal signs to go pee at a DT concert.
I filter a lot of the vocals out, but not because they’re vocals; it’s LaBrie’s whiny nasally bird voice that forces me to do it.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
I certainly do, I'm A BITTER GENTLEMAN RAWR
Come on everybody, let me hear you! HEY! HEY! HEY! HEY!
Pull Me Under...HEY HEY HEY! I'm not afrai-HEY HEY-d!
I have always considered JLB a weak link but also gravitate toward DT over other instrumental prog bands because of the vocals. There are a lot of guitarists from Petrucci’s generation who I love but wish I could hear them in a band with a vocalist. I actually think of one of DT’s strengths in the early days was their attention to songwriting and lyrics, making sure the vocal parts had purpose.
I’ll also say that while the popular narrative is that JLB was fine until he blew his voice out does not even tell half the story. For one thing, he did not sound great live all the time in the early 90s, he was treating his voice much like Dickinson did in the 80s but with even less control. The other piece is that he’s had ups and downs since then, 2005/2012 stand out as good “post accident” periods for him. I also feel like while they often pushed his voice into unnatural places, when they leaned into proggy/melodic stuff JLB could still deliver great performances and the vocal parts actually did elevate the songs. I would prefer this over DT being an instrumental band, the vocals might not be the most interesting thing but they are still a key ingredient and I wish they would do better.
I mentioned Bridges in the Sky in an earlier post but that whole album was such a strong performance from James. The songs were written in a way that played heavily to his strengths and it’s as if everybody wanted to make a statement in light of the drama that James was still an integral part of the band. Since D/T though it feels like they’re treating him like a blemish that they try to sweep under the rug and hope nobody notices.
Stardust
Rainmaker
JLB's presence has diminished since Distance Over Time, which some would say is for the better but I just find it strange considering that The Astonishing would probably not have worked whatsoever without him putting in a commendable vocal performance.
Actually, I'm pretty flummoxed about how JLB even ended up in this current state to begin with. Some of it had to be self-inflicted, but Petrucci's continuing songwriting dominance must have had something to do with it too. Personally, if you ask me, I think an album more like Falling Into Infinity would do nicely at this point, even if it might not be what fans want out of the band.
Actually, I'm pretty flummoxed about how JLB even ended up in this current state to begin with. Some of it had to be self-inflicted, but Petrucci's continuing songwriting dominance must have had something to do with it too. Personally, if you ask me, I think an album more like Falling Into Infinity would do nicely at this point, even if it might not be what fans want out of the band.
Saapanael
Ancient Mariner
That’s my impression too. I reckon LaBrie was good on The Astonishing.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Aging. Not practicing. Not taking care of his voice. Aggressively demanding old material. Aggressive levels of touring. Long sets.
I would also rather hear that, especially after Parasomnia. I like Parasomnia, but they've really taken the 8-string chugga-chuggas as far as they can go and then beaten them to death once they got there. I'd love a more rock-oriented FII-style album.
He was. But the music was also much lighter and simpler. He was able to show range within his tones without showing range in his notes.
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
Singers are like cars; once they start having issues, it’s time for them to be replaced.
I’m kidding. I just really don’t like LaBrie’s voice.
I totally forgot about that 8-string song on the previous album. I don’t think there’s any 8-strings on Parasomnia, though.
Edit: I take that back; apparently Petrucci uses an 8-string on the intro track.
I hear 8 string on the opening track but nowhere else.
It’s a strange thing, I remember JP talking about using an 8 string as early as DT12, but it took all the way until View for him to actually use it on just one song, and then on the newest album it’s limited to a single riff basically. It makes you wonder what the point is. Not to sound cynical here, but I have long been suspicious about whether Ernie Ball just wanted an 8 string on the market and there is a piece of JP’s endorsement deal where he has to use the 8 string for promotional purposes.
Personally I don't care that much one way or another. A lot of people online seem to act like German puritanicals during the creation of the printing press regarding the 8 string, but it's not like adding another string is going to turn Petrucci's writing style on its head. The chugga chuggas were happening even before he started using baritone guitars. At the same time, I feel like if you're going to introduce a new instrument into your arsenal idk why you wouldn't use it. There are a lot of non-djent prog bands out there using 8 strings creatively (Haken come to mind immediately) that DT could take influence from. But, again, I also think people really overestimate how much of a difference it makes to the output. I mean, did Awaken the Master sound all that much different from anything else they've come up with recently?
It’s a strange thing, I remember JP talking about using an 8 string as early as DT12, but it took all the way until View for him to actually use it on just one song, and then on the newest album it’s limited to a single riff basically. It makes you wonder what the point is. Not to sound cynical here, but I have long been suspicious about whether Ernie Ball just wanted an 8 string on the market and there is a piece of JP’s endorsement deal where he has to use the 8 string for promotional purposes.
Personally I don't care that much one way or another. A lot of people online seem to act like German puritanicals during the creation of the printing press regarding the 8 string, but it's not like adding another string is going to turn Petrucci's writing style on its head. The chugga chuggas were happening even before he started using baritone guitars. At the same time, I feel like if you're going to introduce a new instrument into your arsenal idk why you wouldn't use it. There are a lot of non-djent prog bands out there using 8 strings creatively (Haken come to mind immediately) that DT could take influence from. But, again, I also think people really overestimate how much of a difference it makes to the output. I mean, did Awaken the Master sound all that much different from anything else they've come up with recently?
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
Honestly, this wouldn’t surprise me. You know Petrucci would be like “ooh cool, I’ll take a free guitar to mess around with. Just one song? No problem.”
I love Haken, and they make excellent use of 8-strings.
As a bass player I’m not a fan of them, though. Tuning any lower than a full step down on a 5-string is basically just mud, and I really don’t like being in the same octave as the guitar because the tone gets lost.
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
Not cool dude!