OT: ♫ The Music Thread ♫

Ben Grimm

Don't give up til you drink from the SC
Dec 10, 2007
25,141
6,304
Savile Row
I always made a bad joke when riding the ski lift. If someone on the chair is wearing Black Crowes skis, I ask them, "Are those skis hard to handle?" And either they laugh, or they give me a serious answer (and obviously don't get the joke...)
They're probably my favorite non-metal band in the last 35 years.
 

HolyHagelin

Speed? I am speed.
Jan 8, 2024
864
1,278
For non-metal i listen to a lot of stuff. I am a big classical guy (lately i have been into litvinovsky), a lot of different subgenres of rock (rem), irish folk (the dubliners, duh), and more.
 

noncents

Registered User
Feb 25, 2022
1,678
2,093
For non-metal i listen to a lot of stuff. I am a big classical guy (lately i have been into litvinovsky), a lot of different subgenres of rock (rem), irish folk (the dubliners, duh), and more.
the chieftains and planxty indeed f***.

ima check litvinovsky, i'm a romanticism guy but open to all.

i have never enjoyed listening to REM. just don't get it i dunno
 
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cwede

HFBoards Sponsor
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Sep 1, 2010
9,988
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Dickey Betts passed.
But Liz Reed, Blue Sky, Jessica, Les Brers, Revival, Ramblin'Man, et al, are with us always
 
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Ben Grimm

Don't give up til you drink from the SC
Dec 10, 2007
25,141
6,304
Savile Row
1713758885392.png


Ozzy deserves it.
 
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jacko23

Powerplay Merchant
Jul 8, 2007
780
186
Lehigh Valley, PA
Ok, f*** it, I don't care who listens or knows what I'm talking about, I have to get this off my chest. My DT album rankings of today, subject to change:

#15 - The Astonishing

f*** this thing. It has like four good songs on it, and on better records, those songs wouldn't stand out. It feels like they did this epic story thing and forgot to write music for it.

#14 - When Dream and Day Unite

Unlike the f***ing Astonishing, I can listen to this. It's fine. People who say it's a demo are correct. It's not fully Dream Theater.

#13 - Falling Into Infinity

Trial of Tears is a classic and Peruvian Skies bangs. Nothing else here is memorable. Firmly in "fine."

#12 - Self-titled

This was the album where people would have it here, and I would be like "how???" but I get it now. Once you're in the top-12, they're all good. Something has to be here. The Enemy Inside rips so hard and I absolutely love Illumination Theory. Everything in between is just there.

#11 - A View From the Top of the World

Same thing as the self-titled. The Alien is one of my all-time favorites and I love the long closer. Everything in between is just regular old Dream Theater. The middle part is a bit better than the self-titled for me.

#10 - Awake

I know. I know. It jumps again once you get into the top 10. This band has ten phenomenal albums. Something has to be 10th. Nothing is wrong with Awake. It's just none of the songs are in my top 10-15 favorites.

#9 - Distance Over Time

Awake is probably a better lineup top to bottom but the only reason I put DoT above Awake is because At Wit's End is in my top 15 and it contains my all-time favorite Petrucci solo.

#8 - Six Degrees

Probably low for most people. First half is wall to wall bangers. Don't really care about the second half tbh. And it drives me up the wall when people call it a "song." It's not a song. The tracks very little connection outside of some "same album" motifs. The 12-Step Suite is a more cohesive singular piece and it spans five albums. Octavarium, this thing is not.

#7 - A Dramatic Turn of Events

Not much to say. It's an amazing collection of songs and also a good whole album experience. It has a couple of my top 15.

#6 - Images and Words

No, it's not in my top 5. Sue me. This album is basically perfect and every song is good, but none of them are my top, top songs. That's the only reason.

#5 - Black Clouds and Silver Linings

It has three bonafide classics (Nightmare, Shattered Fortress, the Count) and 5/6 songs are bangers. It's almost flawless.

#4 - Train of Thought

See above. Six-track album with nothing but face-melters. I put it above Black Clouds because Endless Sacrifice is probably in my top 10.

#3 - Systematic Chaos

I probably have this too high. But I don't know where else to put. As a whole-album listen, it's a bit exhausting. And also, I know they wanted to do this Pink Floyd thing, but I would never, ever voluntarily listen to In the Presence of Enemies in two parts. It's should have been one track. As one track, it's a top 5 DT song. Splitting it up was a flaw with this album. That being said, the lineup is absolutely f***ing STACKED. In the Presence of Enemies, Constant Motion, The Dark Eternal Night, The Ministry of Lost Souls. Four stone cold classics.

#2 - Scenes From a Memory

It's Scenes From a f***ing Memory. There's not a fan I've ever encountered that has this outside their top 3.

#1 - Octavarium

So much on this album is overlooked. People say "oh it's just Panic Attack and and the title track," and partially, yes. Those are two top-5 DT songs IMO. But the other six tracks are super underrated. They all hold up. Not a bad song on the record. It's also overlooked as a whole-album listen. The transitions between songs are brilliant. Each song does the theme of mental health, and I think this album accomplishes that better than Six Degrees does, as I alluded to. This is what people think Six Degrees is. I could be here for two hours giving you all the easter eggs in this album. And then the f***ing title track. I've heard people call the title track overrated. I guess get an ear transplant. I don't know what else to say.
I usually agree with everything you post thats hockey related, and im totally down with anyone who listens to metal, especially one so well versed in things DT, but Scenes as your #2?!?!? Images as #6!?!?!?

There really are two types of people in this world...
 
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GENESISPuck94

Registered User
May 2, 2022
3,594
6,773
NJ
Ok, f*** it, I don't care who listens or knows what I'm talking about, I have to get this off my chest. My DT album rankings of today, subject to change:

#15 - The Astonishing

f*** this thing. It has like four good songs on it, and on better records, those songs wouldn't stand out. It feels like they did this epic story thing and forgot to write music for it.

#14 - When Dream and Day Unite

Unlike the f***ing Astonishing, I can listen to this. It's fine. People who say it's a demo are correct. It's not fully Dream Theater.

#13 - Falling Into Infinity

Trial of Tears is a classic and Peruvian Skies bangs. Nothing else here is memorable. Firmly in "fine."

#12 - Self-titled

This was the album where people would have it here, and I would be like "how???" but I get it now. Once you're in the top-12, they're all good. Something has to be here. The Enemy Inside rips so hard and I absolutely love Illumination Theory. Everything in between is just there.

#11 - A View From the Top of the World

Same thing as the self-titled. The Alien is one of my all-time favorites and I love the long closer. Everything in between is just regular old Dream Theater. The middle part is a bit better than the self-titled for me.

#10 - Awake

I know. I know. It jumps again once you get into the top 10. This band has ten phenomenal albums. Something has to be 10th. Nothing is wrong with Awake. It's just none of the songs are in my top 10-15 favorites.

#9 - Distance Over Time

Awake is probably a better lineup top to bottom but the only reason I put DoT above Awake is because At Wit's End is in my top 15 and it contains my all-time favorite Petrucci solo.

#8 - Six Degrees

Probably low for most people. First half is wall to wall bangers. Don't really care about the second half tbh. And it drives me up the wall when people call it a "song." It's not a song. The tracks very little connection outside of some "same album" motifs. The 12-Step Suite is a more cohesive singular piece and it spans five albums. Octavarium, this thing is not.

#7 - A Dramatic Turn of Events

Not much to say. It's an amazing collection of songs and also a good whole album experience. It has a couple of my top 15.

#6 - Images and Words

No, it's not in my top 5. Sue me. This album is basically perfect and every song is good, but none of them are my top, top songs. That's the only reason.

#5 - Black Clouds and Silver Linings

It has three bonafide classics (Nightmare, Shattered Fortress, the Count) and 5/6 songs are bangers. It's almost flawless.

#4 - Train of Thought

See above. Six-track album with nothing but face-melters. I put it above Black Clouds because Endless Sacrifice is probably in my top 10.

#3 - Systematic Chaos

I probably have this too high. But I don't know where else to put. As a whole-album listen, it's a bit exhausting. And also, I know they wanted to do this Pink Floyd thing, but I would never, ever voluntarily listen to In the Presence of Enemies in two parts. It's should have been one track. As one track, it's a top 5 DT song. Splitting it up was a flaw with this album. That being said, the lineup is absolutely f***ing STACKED. In the Presence of Enemies, Constant Motion, The Dark Eternal Night, The Ministry of Lost Souls. Four stone cold classics.

#2 - Scenes From a Memory

It's Scenes From a f***ing Memory. There's not a fan I've ever encountered that has this outside their top 3.

#1 - Octavarium

So much on this album is overlooked. People say "oh it's just Panic Attack and and the title track," and partially, yes. Those are two top-5 DT songs IMO. But the other six tracks are super underrated. They all hold up. Not a bad song on the record. It's also overlooked as a whole-album listen. The transitions between songs are brilliant. Each song does the theme of mental health, and I think this album accomplishes that better than Six Degrees does, as I alluded to. This is what people think Six Degrees is. I could be here for two hours giving you all the easter eggs in this album. And then the f***ing title track. I've heard people call the title track overrated. I guess get an ear transplant. I don't know what else to say.
For me personally

Images and Words
Awake
Falling into Infinity
A Change of Seasons

Are my favorites of theirs.

I pretty much don't listen to any of their other stuff anymore. Not because I don't like it but I think it's nostalgia for me.
 

Machinehead

HFNYR MVP
Jan 21, 2011
148,116
126,984
NYC
For me personally

Images and Words
Awake
Falling into Infinity
A Change of Seasons

Are my favorites of theirs.

I pretty much don't listen to any of their other stuff anymore. Not because I don't like it but I think it's nostalgia for me.
I wouldn't rank A Change of Seasons as an album but I have the song at #2.
 
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Machinehead

HFNYR MVP
Jan 21, 2011
148,116
126,984
NYC
Here's an Octavarium Easter egg.

One of my favorite things about the album are the intricate transitions between the tracks.

Not only are they really f***ing cool, but they also serve a purpose.

The album is an octave. The first track is in F and each track goes up one key with the eighth and final track being in high F. That's the main theme of the album.

Each interlude between songs goes up a half step from the preceding song, and then the next song goes up another half step. They operate as bridges between songs making the whole thing more cohesive and mimicking the way in which you would sing an octave.

Only one song has no interlude or long introduction. It goes from hard stop to hard start. Track #5: Panic Attack. There's no transition before the panic attack, the panic attack just hits you.

Speaking of track #5, here's another one.

Panic Attack is track 5/8. It's written primarily in 5/8ths time. The number eight is obviously all over the place but the number five also features prominently. The full album cover displays eight spheres and five birds. Why five?

Look at any octave on a piano. How many white keys are there? Eight, obviously. How many black keys are there? Five.

I've been listening to this album for 16 years and I figured that one out last week. It is my favorite thing in the world.
 

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