Members danbronson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Post this thread over at the Petrucci forum because I have something important to say to the moderator over there:thu: Feel free to quote it there. I'm not going to register for a forum I'll never post in again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iroc Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 I like james labries voice, wouldn't be dream theater without him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thinkpad20 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Don't even mention Paradise Lost in the same sentence as Train of Thought. You just did. :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sapphireskiss Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Feel free to quote it there. I'm not going to register for a forum I'll never post in again. I won't re-sign up over there because it's full of twelve year olds and the moderator is a twat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nazgul6 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 I'm back and forth. I actually thought his solo album was pretty good. From what I picked up watching the Making of Systematic Chaos DVD, Petrucci and Portnoy tell him exactly what to sing. Melody, inflection, everything. It seemed like they were punching him in and out just to correct words. Between the awkwardness of the lyrics they give him and the forced melodies that I don't think he even writes, he has it pretty tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BATSBREW Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 hm. any of you want to post your own stuff for validation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thinkpad20 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 I'm back and forth. I actually thought his solo album was pretty good. From what I picked up watching the Making of Systematic Chaos DVD, Petrucci and Portnoy tell him exactly what to sing. Melody, inflection, everything. It seemed like they were punching him in and out just to correct words. Between the awkwardness of the lyrics they give him and the forced melodies that I don't think he even writes, he has it pretty tough. Be that as it may, he doesn't sound any better live, where he would presumably be more in control of the subtleties of his vocal tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sapphireskiss Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 I like james labries voice, wouldn't be dream theater without him. I disagree, he's the weakest link out the bunch and for the most part the people that listen to DT are just waiting for JLB to shut the {censored} up so they can hear the musical masturbation between JP and Jordan Rudess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nazgul6 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Be that as it may, he doesn't sound any better live, where he would presumably be more in control of the subtleties of his vocal tone. Yeah I know. Just wishful thinking I guess. I would love to see Mark Boals with them. I've been saying that for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members srommes Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 The question I have is: Do you think he looks more like Fabio or Michael Douglas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrVisual Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 I couldn't care less about what they sing about; I don't listen to/look at band lyrics except out of curiosity. They could be singing about the happy little elves for all I care. Plus DT's lyrics aren't exactly Shakespearean from what I remember they're pretty fucking cheesy, and sometimes involve god as well ("fell down on my knees and prayed "thy will be done" / I looked around, felt a chill in the air / the door was wide open" ... or something like that) Your quote (or at least a part of it) is from The Glass Prison which is about the 12-step AA program. Pretty obvious there's god involved. What comes to the cheesiness factor, I was referring to the music mostly. Symphony X has these baroque crap parts in their songs that I can't stand at all. Usually I burst out laughing listening to them. Plus Michael Romeo has incredibly bad tone compared to his skills IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Divine Inferno Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Symphony X has these baroque crap parts in their songs that I can't stand at all. Usually I burst out laughing listening to them. Plus Michael Romeo has incredibly bad tone compared to his skills IMO. I agree with both these statements ive found myself laughing and symphony x albums multiple times. That said I like paradise lost more than anything DT has ever done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bob the dentist Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 hm.any of you want to post your own stuff for validation? on the vocal side of it, i'd be willing to guess that most people here either can sing well but maybe don't have a great voice, or know they have a {censored} voice so they don't sing...and on the lyrical side, I'm thinking most of the dudes here know that communicating a lyrical is more important than {censored}ing rhyming, which DT obviously does NOT realize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nazgul6 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Your quote (or at least a part of it) is from The Glass Prison which is about the 12-step AA program. Pretty obvious there's god involved. What comes to the cheesiness factor, I was referring to the music mostly. Symphony X has these baroque crap parts in their songs that I can't stand at all. Usually I burst out laughing listening to them. Plus Michael Romeo has incredibly bad tone compared to his skills IMO. I hear what you're saying but the DT lyrics are pretty bad. In Honor Thy Father there is this line that LaBrie sings with his tough guy voice that goes something like "you're the rotted root in the family tree." The cringe factor is about a 9 out of 10 on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thinkpad20 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Your quote (or at least a part of it) is from The Glass Prison which is about the 12-step AA program. Pretty obvious there's god involved. What comes to the cheesiness factor, I was referring to the music mostly. Symphony X has these baroque crap parts in their songs that I can't stand at all. Usually I burst out laughing listening to them. Plus Michael Romeo has incredibly bad tone compared to his skills IMO. Well you were the one who brought up God, not me... anyway I agree for the most part; I'm not a big neoclassical fan and I said Symphony X was not my favorite band by a long shot. And I have no idea how their lyrics compare to DT's; I haven't read a single line of Symphony X lyrics. However supporting DT over Symphony X on the grounds of cheesiness doesn't make much sense. DT is full of cheese, not only in lyrics (ye gods!) and vocal melodies but in the instruments, be it their incredibly self-indulgent wankery or their soppy "ballads." Anyway I'd rather burst out laughing listening to something than be bored out of my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members draelyc Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 I don't think he's that bad, but he is their weakest link. I think Portnoy and Petrucci write most of the lyrics, I'm not sure how much LaBrie, Myung, and Rudess get to contribute. Try Fates Warning instead, check out Parallels or A Pleasant Shade of Gray. A Pleasant Shade of Gray FTW!!! :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nazgul6 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 A Pleasant Shade of Gray FTW!!! :thu: Awesome album with Kevin Moore! Also I have what I think is the newest one which is FWX. I really like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NeloAngelo Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 LaBrie. isnt that french for the cheese? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members danbronson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 on the vocal side of it, i'd be willing to guess that most people here either can sing well but maybe don't have a great voice, or know they have a shit voice so they don't sing...and on the lyrical side, I'm thinking most of the dudes here know that communicating a lyrical is more important than fucking rhyming, which DT obviously does NOT realize. Bingo For the record I think my lyrics are better than the ones Labrie sings. But a) 'better' is a matter of opinion b) I won't be posting anything of my own. You can feel free to tear it apart as I've down with Labrie when I'm so famous that basically every single person on HC has heard my music, as is the case with Dream Theater As far as comparing lyrics of Symphony X and Dream Theater... You're essentially doing the same thing as comparing Lord of the Rings and a season of Days Of Our Lives. I'll have an order of LOTR with extra cheese, please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nazgul6 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Bingo For the record I think my lyrics are better than the ones Labrie sings. But a) 'better' is a matter of opinion b) I won't be posting anything of my own. You can feel free to tear it apart as I've down with Labrie when I'm so famous that basically every single person on HC has heard my music, as is the case with Dream Theater As far as comparing lyrics of Symphony X and Dream Theater... You're essentially doing the same thing as comparing Lord of the Rings and a season of Days Of Our Lives. I'll have an order of LOTR with extra cheese, please! And a side order of Dio as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrVisual Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 However supporting DT over Symphony X on the grounds of cheesiness doesn't make much sense. DT is full of cheese, not only in lyrics (ye gods!) and vocal melodies but in the instruments, be it their incredibly self-indulgent wankery or their soppy "ballads." I don't recognize the "cheese" factor apart from some exceptions. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that English isn't my mother tongue That said, I think Systematic Chaos lies too near the borderline of cheesiness. I don't like the tones too much either. But to say that for example Six Degrees, my favorite album of all time, sounds cheesy...I just don't get it Symphony X has potential but the neoclassical thing completely ruins it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BATSBREW Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 on the vocal side of it, i'd be willing to guess that most people here either can sing well but maybe don't have a great voice, or know they have a shit voice so they don't sing...and on the lyrical side, I'm thinking most of the dudes here know that communicating a lyrical is more important than fucking rhyming, which DT obviously does NOT realize. so in other words, they're all armchair quarterbacks?! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sapphireskiss Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 so in other words, they're all armchair quarterbacks?! LOL Your original post was ridiculous from the get go, since when does someones ability to critique something rely on their ability to do what is being critiqued? I'm not a singer, I play the guitar but I can tell when someone is scraping for a note or has bad intonation:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jaytee123 Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 No argument here. The band is awesome, but I can't handle the vocals. I think its mostly when he goes high or screams, Its unbearable. I think Labrie cost DT a lot of potential fans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phishmonkey Posted March 4, 2008 Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Whenever I'm going to see a band live, or just if everyone raves about them, I always try to check out their entire catalog if I can. Even if I'm never going to listen to it again, I can usually get something out of it and at least I know the band, right? Well I've been listening to Dream Theater all day today and yesterday, and I can't take it anymore. I have to vent. It's like James is immitating a skilled singer when he sings. His voice, tonally, is beyond bland. I get the feeling he chooses his melody lines based entirely on what other singers have done before and not from internal inspiration, like any real songwriter should. I just don't hear originality and creativity when he opens his mouth. But it's his lyrics that really kill me. The simplest, stupidest sounding rhymes over and over again, like a 15 year old with no real life experience wrote it. Every song is cheesier than the last (and I'm aware that Portnoy has a lot to do with this too). From songs about human rights to 'coping with insanity', it's all a bunch of FILLER. At least they had a concept for SFAM (which I've had and 'mostly' enjoyed for years fwiw). But I just finished listening to Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence and... He helplessly stands by It's meaningless to try As he rubs his red-rimmed eyes He says I've never seen her get this bad Even though she seems so high He knows that she can't fly and when she falls out of the sky He'll be standing by Good lord, what is that exactly? He's a Monday morning lunatic Disturbed from time to time Lost within himself In his solitary shell A temporary catatonic Madman on occasion When will he break out Of his solitary shell Clearly whoever wrote these lyrics has no idea what actual insanity is. They sure don't have a clue how to express it in lyrics. It's like they're writing songs based on what they see on TV commercials about teenage depression. There is absolutely no depth and meaning here. Instrumentally, while DT can be pretty self-indulgent, they've got it down. They can write interesting parts and occasionally communicate a fairly passionate performance. Technically speaking, they don't sound skilled, they are skilled. But put James' singing into that and it's like an advanced physics course being taught by Barney the Dinosaur. The two are just on completely different levels and don't work together whatsoever. Now, this is all just an opinion, obviously I'm not the all-knowing infallible judge of lyrics and singing and I recognize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I also recognize that there are many different ways to be good as a singer, and not all singers possess all of these qualities. But I'm of the opinion that if they ever want to write something GOOD, they need to sit down and realize that a singer is at least as important as each individual instrument, so they need to take it that seriously otherwise the whole package is spoiled. They need to come up with SOME reason to justify having Labrie around. To me, at this point, he's nothing more than a distraction. At least there's Liquid Tension Experiment... I don't like Labrie but that post fails hard 1. Labrie doesn't write the lyrics, Petrucci does. Complain to him if you think the lyrics suck, which they often do. The lyrics on the last album were cringe worthy "Dark master I will fight for you" 2. That song is about autism not depression. You wrote a whole essay on this yet couldn't be bothered to google the song and see if what you're saying actually makes sense? 3. Labrie can be intolerable, but he is not the worst singer I've ever heard. Try listening to DT with the first two singers, its painful. I never thought there could be a singer that makes Labrie look good, much less two, but they pull it off somehow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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