YTSEJAM Digest 3273
Today's Topics:
1) Hell's Kitchen
by rsjm@thezone.net (Jeff Taylor)
2) Jadis
by "Juan Fco. Quintero" <jfquintero@sysop.com.mx>
3) Overplaying? What exactly is a "song"?
by "Neil Evans" <NEVANS@us.oracle.com>
4) Drain
by Jason Hartman <lhartm1@ds1.GL.UMBC.EDU>
5) Re: Fill me in?
by drkhoe@gms.gmsnet.com (Dr. Mosh)
6) Doug Pinnick...hmmm?
by Eric John Marlett <gt7262a@prism.gatech.edu>
7) Re: Overplaying? What exactly is a "song"?
by CLARK ABEL <99ABEL@alma.edu>
8) Re: Doug Pinnick...hmmm?
by "Christopher R. Merlo" <cmerlo@CS.WM.EDU>
9) Re: Overplaying? What exactly is a "song"?
by "Christopher R. Merlo" <cmerlo@CS.WM.EDU>
10) Progression
by Murmer <rbaniste@emerald.tufts.edu>
11) Re: Fill me in?
by "Vincent G. LuPone" <vgl@syspac.com>
12) Re: Fill me in?
by drkhoe@gms.gmsnet.com (Dr. Mosh)
13) HELP - One more Irving Plaza question
by <CNG@tcco.com> "Chung Ng"
14) Re: Progression
by Mark Jeffrey McEuen <mceuen@owlnet.rice.edu>
15) Re: Queensryche "Scarborough Fair"
by MTeiper@aol.com
16) Washington Post
by Ryan Park <rpark@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 19:37:07 -0400
From: rsjm@thezone.net (Jeff Taylor)
To: ytsejam@ax.com
Subject: Hell's Kitchen
Message-ID: <199711212334.UAA30987@firma.thezone.net>
>I can't hear HK anywhere else on the album, but it was originally part of
>BMS and was
>split into a seperate song. It sounds good on it's own, but I think BMS
>loses something
>without it.
Okay, I've seen a number of people saying that they can't hear a connection
between and HK and any other songs on the album, and so far I haven't seen
anyone say otherwise, but there is in fact a small connection between HK and
Burning My Soul. Listen to the chord progression and melodies in the last verse
of BMS ("Using your words...") and then listen to the very beginning of HK, the
part with the keyboards (and guitar?) playing octaves. It's the same thing! I
realize this is only a small connection, but it goes a long way towards explain-
ing how these two songs could have been connected before, especially for someone
like myself who has never heard the original BMS.
Anyway, that's all for now. Talk to ya later, kiddies!
Jeff
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 17:59:00 -0600
From: "Juan Fco. Quintero" <jfquintero@sysop.com.mx>
To: ytsejam@ax.com
Subject: Jadis
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19971121175900.006900c4@sysop.com.mx>
>>Jadis: It is like Enchant but not so heavy, they are from England and
currently they have 3 CD's and 2 short time CD's.<<
>So what you are trying to say is............" it is as heavy as Hanson?"
>:o)
>
>Charlie
Why don't you check it out at:
http://www.phil.uni-sb.de/Musik/ProgTeam/Jadis/sound/sound.html
------------------------------
Date: 21 Nov 97 16:18:21 -0800
From: "Neil Evans" <NEVANS@us.oracle.com>
To: ytsejam@ax.com
Subject: Overplaying? What exactly is a "song"?
Message-ID: <199711220019.QAA12588@mailseq4.us.oracle.com>
]From the article in Bass Player:
"Dream Theater's biggest weakness is that guitarist John Petrucci and
drummer Mike Portnoy still tend to overplay."
Do comments like this really annoy anyone else on this list? Usually when
people say something like this they follow it up with something like "this
[overplaying] detracts from the *song*." So what exactly is a song?
Why is it that music, an art form like any other which free-thinking artists
will hopefully expand and stretch the horizons of, should be confined to the
notion of a "song"? I think the common conception of "song" is something that
lasts about 3-7 minutes, has about 1, 2, maybe 3 distinct "themes" or "ideas",
and presents a very straightforward concept, be it lyrical or musical. Oh,
and I believe the dictionary definition actually requires the music to have
vocals to be considered a song.
Why do we think in these terms? Why can't a "song" be a 30-minute
instrumental which never repeats a single riff. Rather than trying to express
a single unifying concept, it expresses a *sequence* of related concepts,
starting at one place and ending somewhere completely different, without
repetition. One of the reasons why is that the common casual music listener
won't listen to it. But why do people who proclaim themselves to be
openminded also follow this somewhat pedestrian concept of what a song should
be. Many the ytsejammer (and many of us are openminded, right?) has commented
on certain parts of DT songs not "fitting" with the rest of the song. Why do
we need to see such sameness within the context of one musical work? I can
see where some songs can and should aspire to this - they present a succinct
musical idea. But why do we assume that *all* songs should aspire to this?
I'm ranting a bit here, but I'm curious to see what others think of this
concept. It seems to me that the notion of a "song" is something that has
fallen out of "popular" music, and that usually if an artist tries to stretch
or embellish upon that notion, he/she is accused of sacrificing the "song" for
some kind of self-indulgent reason - like "overplaying."
I don't think there is any such thing as "overplaying." Let's look at an
extreme example: Suppose there is a slow piano ballad like Anna Lee, and in
the middle the guitarist breaks into the quintuplet passage from Erotomania
(in the appropriate key). Is this overplaying? Well, your *expectations* may
define it as such, since you expect to hear a cohesive, slow moving ballad
with a "tasteful", uplifting guitar solo. But what really matters is what the
artist is trying to say with the music. If the artist is trying to create a
sense of jarring, furious activity in the middle of this ballad, then his
playing is perfectly creating the desired effect - and it is not overplaying.
It is merely the listener who doesn't like the way the song has developed (and
is quite entitled not to like it).
I'd love to hear people's comments, especially in relation to DT music or
"prog" in general.
Incidentally, I would imagine that this "overplaying" is what attracts many of
us to DT's music. Given that, I feel that it simply adds a sense of energy
and excitement to the music which many of us find appealing and the reviewer
in BP magazine does not.
cheers,
-Neil.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 00:32:57 -0500
From: Jason Hartman <lhartm1@ds1.GL.UMBC.EDU>
To: ytsejam@ax.com
Subject: Drain
Message-ID: <3.0.2.32.19971121003257.006ad120@pop.gl.umbc.edu>
In the last Jam, Chris Oates wrote:
>Booty-kicking band. Saw them open for Type O. I'm in lust with the
>drummer. ;)
No way, dude!! She's mine!! It's just not right that a band that rocks so
hard is made up of hot Swedish chicks. Someone is playing a cruel joke
on us metal-loving male types -- they're screwing with our heads.
-- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \ / / L. Jason Hartman "And I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend \ \ lhartm1@gl.umbc.edu And I'll never be open again / / And I'll have no more dreams to defend \ \ Univ. Of Maryland, And I'll never be open again " / / Baltimore County - Kevin Moore : Dream Theater \ \ / / "Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot." \ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 17:06:17 -0800 From: drkhoe@gms.gmsnet.com (Dr. Mosh) To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Fill me in? Message-ID: <199711220106.RAA22352@gms.gmsnet.com>
On the Eve of Destruction, "Charlie Korch" said: > > > > > >I am new to this board (but not DT). Please fill me in on Mike Bahr. I >have seen this name thrown around like a football, and I was wondering who >he REALLY is. > >Thanks, >Charlie >
He's actually the hidden sixth member in the band...
-The Doc
-- #$%*#$*@ E-MAIL: drkhoe@gmsnet.com #$%#$#$% _+_+_+_+ Unix, Internet, Intranet Engineering _+_+_+_+ [][][][] Dr. Mosh's Progressive Feast [][][][] #$@#$#@# http://progmetal.gmsnet.com @#$@##@$
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 20:07:36 -0500 (EST) From: Eric John Marlett <gt7262a@prism.gatech.edu> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Doug Pinnick...hmmm? Message-ID: <199711220107.UAA08768@acmex.gatech.edu>
]From the JM article.....
> Another of John's trademark angular, distorted eighthnote bass ostinatos > leads the way on "Burning My Soul." Even on many of DT's over-the-top > tunes, such as "Lines in the Sand" (with guest vocals by King's X > bassist Doug Pinnick)
I don't know a thing about King's X, but I was under the impression that Doug was the vocalist...can anyone clear this up? Just wondering....
Eric
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 20:15:10 -0400 (EDT) From: CLARK ABEL <99ABEL@alma.edu> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Overplaying? What exactly is a "song"? Message-ID: <01IQA7PO1QRA9AO194@alma.edu>
I want to quote Neil's entire post, but that would be stupid. Suffice to say that I agree with it completely. It kind of relates to something else I've been thinking about lately, though. When FII came out, alot of the membersof this list defended DT's new song-writing direction as being more "mature". I've taken issue with this in the past; I happen to think that it's a bunch of bullshit. But my question is this: to all of you who said that (that the shorter, poppier, simpler, and supposedly less "wanky" songs on FII are more mature than DT's previous work), how come I don't remember anyone ever complaining about this before FII came out? Maybe it's just my bad memory, but I don't recall seeing too many posts last year that said "You know, I like I&W and Awake, but I really feel that DT's songwriting is somewhat immature." I guess this is why I and some others were so skeptical when people starting saying this, and yes, why it seemed to me that people would have said they liked anything that DT did. I couldn't really put my finger on it at the time that the album came out, but that's what really bothered me. The album, to my ears, is such a drastic departure from DT's other work, that I just find it hard to believe that so many people on this list, who were brought here by their common love of DT's previous work (they had to be, since FII just came out) weren't just tailoring their expectations of FII and their musical standards in general to what they got, as opposed to really listening to the album objectively. I'm not saying that many people probably don't like this album better exactly for what it is, but the part that bothers me is that it seems like alot of the same people who used to rave about DT's dazzling instrumental prowess and complex song-writing are now hailing their "maturity". And that just seems a little too convenient to me. I never did my FII "review",but now that I've had it for a couple months, I can say with a fair degree of confidence that this album is a bitter disapointment for me. It's still a very good album, and I still listen to it alot, but I honestly don't see myself listening to it a year from now and finding something new to love in every track every time I listen to it, like I do with Wadadoo, I&W and Awake. That was a fucking long paragraph. Oh well. I'm really not looking for a fight here, I just curious as to what people may have to say about this. Neil's post about how people have expectations as to what a "song" should be (I think that's what it was about) got me thinking about this again, and how, to me, it seems like most people are defining "mature" by this same concept. And I would argue that if there's any such thing as mature musicianship at all, that it's more about doing what comes from the heart and finding your own musical voice and style, instead of conforming to a standardized format for the sake of the sacred "song". Looking forward to Chris' reply.... -Clark
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 20:27:54 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Merlo" <cmerlo@CS.WM.EDU> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Doug Pinnick...hmmm? Message-ID: <199711220127.UAA27124@tx.cs.wm.edu>
> I don't know a thing about King's X, but I was under the impression that > Doug was the vocalist...can anyone clear this up? Just wondering....
All three members of King's X are "vocalists." Referring to him as the bassist uniquely identifies him as the "singing bassist," as opposed to the "singing guitarist" and the "singing drummer."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Digital Man \|/ ____ \|/ "640 K ought to be enough cmerlo@cs.wm.edu "@'/ ,. \`@" memory for everyone." -Gates d-man@dreamt.org /_| \__/ |_\ "He won't need a bed http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo \__U_/ He's a digital man" -Peart ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maintainer of the Official Dream Theater Frequently Asked Questions List http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo/dtfaq.html
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 20:53:09 -0500 From: "Christopher R. Merlo" <cmerlo@CS.WM.EDU> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Overplaying? What exactly is a "song"? Message-ID: <199711220153.UAA27214@tx.cs.wm.edu>
> I don't recall seeing too many posts last year that said "You know, I like > I&W and Awake, but I really feel that DT's songwriting is somewhat immature."
Personally, I wouldn't have posted stuff like that (were I a member of the list then) because at the time (without later albums around for comparison), those albums were maturely written. Yeah, Metropolis is a wankfest, but compare it to anything else released that year, and it's perhaps the most mature wankfest around. It was also bold and different - there weren't a hundred copy cat bands recording "because we can" songs. That was DT saying to the rest of the world, "Oh, yeah? Well, take *this*!"
And when Awake came out, if anyone had said to me that it was immature writing, I would have tied them to a chair and programmed LSoaD and Scarred on infinirepeat until they admitted the absurdity of their lives.
But now it's been done, and in order for them to challenge themselves, they had to rethink the process of creating music. Eighteen-year-old kids would not have listened to Caveman with as open an ear as DT did. It was an act of maturity for these thirty-somethings to redefine BMS, just as it was an act of maturity for those twenty-somethings to accomplish LtL.
As Einstein might be inclined to observe (if he weren't dead), "It's all relative."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Digital Man \|/ ____ \|/ "640 K ought to be enough cmerlo@cs.wm.edu "@'/ ,. \`@" memory for everyone." -Gates d-man@dreamt.org /_| \__/ |_\ "He won't need a bed http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo \__U_/ He's a digital man" -Peart ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Maintainer of the Official Dream Theater Frequently Asked Questions List http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo/dtfaq.html
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 21:13:29 -0500 (EST) From: Murmer <rbaniste@emerald.tufts.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <ytsejam@ax.com> Subject: Progression Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.96.971121202112.9555A-100000@emerald.tufts.edu>
> > Faith No More is an innovative band, as are Fishbone, Jane's Addiction, > the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, and lots others--but they are not, I > repeat, NOT, progressive. > > The definition of prog is elusive, though it definitely is not just > progressing from album to album or whatever, even song to song. It > usually involves things such as time changes, tempo changes, > instrumental innovation (not writing instrumental songs really, but more > in the playing of specific instruments), taking thematic approaches to > music, and probably a whole host of other things. But it is not simply > changing, or having one or two of these characteristics. (Or see the > list above, dammit.)
I've really gotta disagree. Judging from the list of characteristics for progressive bands, FNM fits right in. "The Real Thing" for example, has odd time sigs ('surprise, you're dead' kick ass song btw), instrumental work ('woodpecker from mars'), and they explore a variety of styles ('edge of the world' for example). And what's more, they have a keyboardist! ;) ;) (the extra smiley is donated for the 'ytse-hate list flame throwers' calm down, eh?) Through your definition, I think FNM fits right in (and so does Jethro Tull, IMO another awesome band, in whatever incarnation!) But I don't really agree with your definition of Prog. To me, it's more like a progression in musicianship. It's not that every song has to be filled choc-full of jizz-flinging guitar solos, time changes, polyrythms, etc. To me, prog is more of a progression in your own mind, of your music, and your musicianship. It's the concept of stretching the boundaries of what you know to write music. It's the concept that every thing you learn, you put towards your understanding and utilization of your music. And it's the desire to learn, to keep pushing boundaries, to know more about music, so that you can use your knowledge to make better music. In essence, as you progress as a musician, your music progresses. In that way, bands aren't cut out of the prog definition because they don't shred (take a look at Renaissance, or Tull, and tell me they're not prog. . .).
> being different is not enough. If Yes decided to start playing like > Hanson, they would have changed, but they would not have become more > progressive.
exactly.
> 2) As was pointed out at great length a couple of posts ago, "progressive" > music does not at all imply change; rather it is a genre of music with a > specific set of characteristics. Therefore, even if we could objectively > define a "progression", the question of whether a given band is > "progressive" would still be unanswered.
I kinda disagree with this too... I don't think it's really fair to define prog as only having certain characteristics, as that will rule out anything that doesn't quite fit in, even if we as humans think of it as prog. In otherwords, programming a computer like: if (time_changes && tempo_changes){ if (creates_mood || uses_theme){ etc. etc. would make debugging a freakin pain in the ass. Why not have a broader, less example filled definition? Or why not if (you_like_it){ you_like_it };
;)
figuratively, Rich
"Like the echoes of your childhood laughter, ever after Like the first time love urged you to take it's guidance, in silence Like your heartbeat when you realize you're dying, but you're trying Like the way you cry for a happy ending, ending. . . " -Faith no More, 'the real thing'
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 19:22:58 -0700 From: "Vincent G. LuPone" <vgl@syspac.com> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Fill me in? Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971121192257.006c8e90@postoffice.syspac.com>
At 01:27 PM 11/21/97 -0800, Charlie wrote: >I am new to this board (but not DT). Please fill me in on Mike Bahr. I >have seen this name thrown around like a football, and I was wondering who >he REALLY is.
Okay newbies, here's the Heirarchy:
GOD ==> MARY ==> THE POPE ==> SKADZ ==> D-MAN ==> DR. MOSH ==> MIKE BAHR ==> ALL OF US PEONS
Got it? GOOD!
;)~
Peace and love, and good happiness stuff, ~Vince
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/6933 | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 19:08:16 -0800 From: drkhoe@gms.gmsnet.com (Dr. Mosh) To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Fill me in? Message-ID: <199711220308.TAA23311@gms.gmsnet.com>
On the Eve of Destruction, "Vincent G. LuPone" said: > >Okay newbies, here's the Heirarchy: > >GOD ==> MARY ==> THE POPE ==> SKADZ ==> D-MAN ==> >DR. MOSH ==> MIKE BAHR ==> ALL OF US PEONS >
Actually, since Skadz is Jesus, he's right under God...
Good thing you didn't give away my secret identity as the Pope...
oh... shit...
:)
-The Doc
-- #$%*#$*@ E-MAIL: drkhoe@gmsnet.com #$%#$#$% _+_+_+_+ Unix, Internet, Intranet Engineering _+_+_+_+ [][][][] Dr. Mosh's Progressive Feast [][][][] #$@#$#@# http://progmetal.gmsnet.com @#$@##@$
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 97 22:49:13 EST From: <CNG@tcco.com> "Chung Ng" To: <ytsejam@ax.com> Subject: HELP - One more Irving Plaza question Message-ID: <vines.3hH8+tQZRoA@tcx.tcco.com>
I finally got my tickets for the Irving Plaza show (one day before the show). I still plan to get there at about 9pm. The ticket lists an 8pm start. Does anyone have any idea when Dream Theater will actually go on? I'm hoping that there is an opening band or two.
I'll be wearing a New York Rangers "white" jersey with Sergei Zubov's #21 in case anyone wants to share a beer or two at the show - Chung in NYC
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Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 22:10:09 -0600 (CST) From: Mark Jeffrey McEuen <mceuen@owlnet.rice.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <ytsejam@ax.com> Subject: Re: Progression Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.971121213736.14932A-100000@short-eared.owlnet.rice.edu>
On Fri, 21 Nov 1997, Murmer wrote:
> > 2) As was pointed out at great length a couple of posts ago, "progressive" > > music does not at all imply change; rather it is a genre of music with a > > specific set of characteristics. Therefore, even if we could objectively > > define a "progression", the question of whether a given band is > > "progressive" would still be unanswered. > > I kinda disagree with this too... I don't think it's really fair to > define prog as only having certain characteristics, as that will rule out > anything that doesn't quite fit in, even if we as humans think of it as > prog.
Err, well, if "prog" didn't have any special characteristics, then it would be all-encompassing and therefore meaningless. We as humans just tend to classify things into groups according to common characteristics and then attach labels to those groups. "Prog" is such a label. Of course it rules out things that don't quite fit in....that's what labels do.
Of course, things are never as clear-cut as the last paragraph implies. There are always things that don't fit neatly into one of our prepackaged categories, especially with a label as vague as "prog". Which raises the question, of course, of whether we should have labels at all. But I think that life would be way too chaotic if we didn't make at least some attempt to categorize things.
> In otherwords, programming a computer like: > if (time_changes && tempo_changes){ > if (creates_mood || uses_theme){ > etc. etc. > would make debugging a freakin pain in the ass. Why not have a broader, > less example filled definition? Or why not > if (you_like_it){ you_like_it };
Well, sure....I certainly don't think we should let labels such as "prog" determine whether we like something or not. If you think it sounds good, listen to it, and worry about what to call it later. Or not at all. But you seem to be implying here that "prog" is just another term for "music I like", which isn't at all what I was trying to say.
All too literally,
Mark McEuen mceuen@owlnet.rice.edu
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 23:44:52 -0500 (EST) From: MTeiper@aol.com To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Re: Queensryche "Scarborough Fair" Message-ID: <971121234452_-289049229@mrin44.mail.aol.com>
Greetingz...
In a message dated 97-11-21 12:03:36 EST, Chris Groves wrote:
<< ALSO, Queensryche's version of Scarborough Fair (I'm guessing from the Unplugged show?) is on a cassingle a friend of mine has of the song "Empire". It's the only b-side on the tape. It cost him fifty cents, or something. :-) So there ya go, that's been released, too. >>
Actually, the version that appeared on "Empire" was a studio recording actually done during the "Rage For Order" sessions, if I'm not mistaken, and never released until the "Empire" album as a b-side. They did perform the song live during the Unplugged show too, AND Geoff Tate's pre-QR band, Myth, recorded a very cool demo of the song back in 1981. Keep your eyes peeled on Mike Bahr's future releases.... Myth is on the way! :-)
Buh Bye.... Matt T.
NP: Metallica "Re-Load" <--- Yes, it's TOTALLY AWESOME!!!! :-D
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 23:58:29 -0500 From: Ryan Park <rpark@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Washington Post Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19971121235829.00697d60@128.164.127.252>
I just opened the Washington Post's Weekend section for Friday, November 21st, and lo and behold, I saw a pretty nice picture of Dream Theater! Unfortunately, next to that picture was an AWFUL review. I can't resist to put commentary after each paragraph, though. Here's what they had to say (and my rebuttals):
DREAM THEATER: "Falling Into Infinity" (EastWest) BIG WRECK: "In Loving Memory of..." (Atlantic)
So compatible a double bill that they might as well have been fabricated in the same product-development lab. Dream Theater and Big Wreck are indeed big and theatrical. Although the former hails from Long Island, N.Y., and the latter from Boston, both groups are essentially from the same preserve, the spiritual homeland of big-shouldered band like Led Zeppelin, Boston, U2 and Soundgarden. Each group even opens its latest album with a riff that recalls the Terry-Riley-meets-Godzilla keyboard hooks of the Who's "Who's Next." [1. COMPATIBLE??!? Not from what you ALL have said!!!!] [2. I would bet that DT was NOT influenced by Boston, U2 or Soundgarden, and their Led Zeppelin influence is relatively minimal.] [3. So where's this keyboard riff at the beginning of "New Millennium"? Has this writer even heard of a BASS GUITAR... let alone a Chapman Stick? <g>]
Dream Theater is the more metallic of the two buands, with lashing guitars and choruses (notably the one to "You Not Me") that could be Bon Jovi. The quintet's "Falling Into Infinity" also has strong prog-rock tendencies, as demonstrated by a three-part, 13-minute suite called "Trial of Tears." While singer James Labrie (sic) proclaims a "New Millennium," the music doesn't do anything at all new. [4. YES IT DOES DO SOMETHING NEW!!! <g>] [5. Hmmmm... did he notice, perchance, that YNM was written by one of Bon Jovi's leading songwriters? <g>]
Big Wrech demonstrates its bluesiness on songs like "Look What I Found," but the quartet's debut album, "In Loving Memory of ...," shows that this is the more lyrical of the two bands. Such tracks as "That Song" and "Blown Wide Open" suggest the Celtic sweep of Big Country and U2, or just REM on steroids. Exactly what singer-guitarist Ian Thornley's blustering songs are about, however, hardly seems worth investigating. Just because the quartet's gestures are big, doesn't make them meaningful. -- Mark Jenkins [6. Big Wreck is the MORE LYRICAL? What did YOU all think? <g>]
Both appearing Sunday at the Ballroom.
To hear a free Sound Bite from Dream Theater, call Post-Haste at 202/334-9000 and press 8133. For a free Sound Bite from Big Wreck, press 8134. (Prince William residents, call 690-4110.)
PHOTO CAPTION: "Dream Theater's dramatic license: much ado about nothing."
Oy vey.
Ryan
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End of YTSEJAM Digest 3273 **************************
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