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Sliver Lord 
Forum Newbie
Joined: February 06 2009
Location: Lumiar, Lisboa
Status: Offline
Points: 11
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 Posted: February 16 2010 at 14:25 |
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IŽll have to go with Dream Theater. Both made damn good albums, but Count of Tuscany from their new album just took my breath away.
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: February 16 2010 at 14:38 |
Steve Wilson is a musical genius despite his lack of technical ability, and he can move me in ways few other musicians have.
Everybody in Dream Theater are technically superior to pretty much everybody else in rock music, yet in spite of that, they have a horrible time writing anything emotional without going over-the-top musically.
So really, it's apple and oranges. Do you prefer music that does more with less? Or is doing more with more the type of stuff you gravitate towards?
For me, it's WAY the former, although nothing is wrong with DT's style. I just listen to Wilson and crew much more often.
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Kashmir75
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 25 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 1029
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Posted: February 17 2010 at 21:31 |
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I think you put it best, JLocke. PT has a 'less is more' approach, whereas DT go the other way. Completely different ways of doing music, but both prog. Apples and oranges. PT are kind of the Pink Floyd or King Crimson of our age, whereas DT are more the Yes or Rush of our age. I am a fan of both. There's a time when I want to hear great songwriting, and for that I'll usually go to Wilson and co. And there's times when I want to rock out to some crazy, technically amazing stuff, as only DT can do.
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Hello, mirror. So glad to see you, my friend. It's been a while...
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Man Overboard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 07 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Status: Offline
Points: 3830
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Posted: February 17 2010 at 22:25 |
This is pretty much the most difficult decision I've ever had to make.
Porcupine Tree had some good songs and LPs before they decided to put out overproduced teen-angst-dark-and-edgy music. I mean wtf, didn't Wilson warn of this in Sound of Muzak, despite the course already being set?
The same could be said about Dream Theater in a broad sense.
I'm sorry, but I doubt that most listeners really care to indulge in teenage hate-fantasy once they've reached adulthood. Popular movies, television, and videogames are all aimed at children as well. It sucks.
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: February 17 2010 at 22:39 |
 Man Overboard wrote:
This is pretty much the most difficult decision I've ever had to make.
Porcupine Tree had some good songs and LPs before they decided to put out overproduced teen-angst-dark-and-edgy music. I mean wtf, didn't Wilson warn of this in Sound of Muzak, despite the course already being set?
The same could be said about Dream Theater in a broad sense.
I'm sorry, but I doubt that most listeners really care to indulge in teenage hate-fantasy once they've reached adulthood. Popular movies, television, and videogames are all aimed at children as well. It sucks. |
It's a shame you can't tell the difference between Wilson speaking for himself and Wilson speaking for the modern teenager in one instance that has never been repeated.
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Kashmir75
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 25 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 1029
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Posted: February 17 2010 at 22:54 |
Yeah, I agree with JLocke. I don't think Fear of A Blank Planet is saying its a good thing to get stoned in shopping malls, and spend hours playing Xboxes. Wilson's commenting on the downfall of today's youth. When I went to see PT live last week, there were plenty of people over the age of 18 there. In fact, it was an 18+ only gig. There were middle aged guys wearing Floyd t shirts there with their wives.
Many people here come down on the FOABP lyrics. I think they're great, personally.
I love all eras of PTs sound, from the space rock era, to the modern era. But if they'd never made In Absentia, and the heavier albums that followed, they'd probably still be playing small clubs. Metal sells, like it or not. And I happen to really enjoy PTs new, heavier direction. It's made them a lot of new fans.
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Hello, mirror. So glad to see you, my friend. It's been a while...
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Man Overboard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 07 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Status: Offline
Points: 3830
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Posted: February 17 2010 at 22:58 |
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People have been commenting on the downfall of the younger generation for as long as there has been written history. How many times must we continue down that self-indulgent path?
Edited by Man Overboard - February 17 2010 at 22:59
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SergiUriah
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 03 2009
Location: I donŽt know
Status: Offline
Points: 453
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Posted: February 18 2010 at 00:04 |
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Porcupine Theater, no doubt.
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: February 18 2010 at 00:10 |
Man Overboard wrote:
People have been commenting on the downfall of the younger generation for as long as there has been written history. How many times must we continue down that self-indulgent path?
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Forever. Deal with it.  
So, Dark Side of the Moon must also be pointless, since its lyrics are observations about others rather than the typical introspective lyrics rock music is more well-known for. I don't see any difference at all between Waters talking about careless living & useless spending and Wilson singing about vicarious, cyber-living and getting stoned.
Look, if you don't like FoABP, fine, but don't blame it on Wilson's lyrics. The music itself is is what should matter, and many people think PT has gotten too 'Alt. Rock' in their more recent years. That's a more valid complaint, in my opinion.
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Man Overboard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 07 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Status: Offline
Points: 3830
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Posted: February 18 2010 at 00:16 |
I can dislike music about being young and stupid if I want. Especially when it's written by millionaires who are really twice my age
Edit: To clarify, the music itself I don't care for that much either, but it's really the juxtaposition of music and word that puts my back up.
Edited by Man Overboard - February 18 2010 at 00:18
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: February 18 2010 at 00:18 |
Man Overboard wrote:
I can dislike music about being young and stupid if I want. 
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Of course you can.
You can also eat food out of a leper's palm, though I wouldn't find it particularly logical.
Edited by JLocke - February 18 2010 at 00:19
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progkidjoel
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 02 2009
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 19643
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Posted: February 18 2010 at 00:36 |
Kashmir75 wrote:
Yeah, I agree with JLocke. I don't think Fear of A Blank Planet is saying its a good thing to get stoned in shopping malls, and spend hours playing Xboxes. Wilson's commenting on the downfall of today's youth. When I went to see PT live last week, there were plenty of people over the age of 18 there. In fact, it was an 18+ only gig. There were middle aged guys wearing Floyd t shirts there with their wives. Many people here come down on the FOABP lyrics. I think they're great, personally. I love all eras of PTs sound, from the space rock era, to the modern era. But if they'd never made In Absentia, and the heavier albums that followed, they'd probably still be playing small clubs. Metal sells, like it or not. And I happen to really enjoy PTs new, heavier direction. It's made them a lot of new fans. |
People just need to keep stuff in context; its ridiculous that someone would say Steven Wilson is writing the lyrics from a personal, first person point of view. If that were true, Strip The Soul would tell me Steven Wilson is a perverted murderer who beats his kids.
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Harry Hood
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 15 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1305
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Posted: February 18 2010 at 02:27 |
This is a really tough call.
If I were forced to only listen to Dream Theater or Porcupine Tree, I'm really not sure which one I'd pick. Images & Words is one of my favorite albums ever, but I imagine it would get annoying after a while and the further I ventured into their discography the more annoyed I would get.
I consider Porcupine Tree's later material to be more actively obnoxious, but their earlier material I could at least space out and not pay much attention to. So I guess in that scenario I'd have to go with PT.
Then again, if you took it a step further and I could only listen to their latest output, hmmm, I'd probably go with Dream Theater, as their latest release is a bit more diverse and has some cool covers.
Bah, I'll just pick neither and listen to Yasunori Mitsuda.
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Hopix
Forum Newbie
Joined: February 19 2010
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 15
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Posted: February 19 2010 at 15:52 |
Porcupine Tree infinitely.
I've heard several DT tracks. And I find them boring, repetitive and long for the sake of being long. There's also no soul and feel to them.
I did like their cover of DSoTM though. Pretty impressive.
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juanvalverde
Forum Groupie
Joined: May 09 2005
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 42
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Posted: April 21 2010 at 20:10 |
AgentSpork wrote:
| For what I've heard from PT, they have been doing the same...
their only evolution is using a heavier sound in the last like 4 albums
right...??? what evolution is there...??? really... |
Well, it's divided into segments really. There's the earlier psychedelic period (Up the Downstair, The Sky Moves Sideways, and Signify), the more straightforward pop-friendly *gasp* approach midway (Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun), the heavier period where they started incorporating metal into their music (In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of a Blank Planet). As for The Incident... well, I haven't really got much to say about this album. Dream Theater, to me, has been going downhill ever since Jordan Rudess joined the band. Personally I feel like Scenes From a Memory was just some kind of magical fluke, as there's not a whole lot of his little keyboard cheesefests present on that album. It just kind of exploded when Six Degrees came out and Rudess decided that keyboards would make a perfect replacement (not) for orchestral arrangements. Not trying to be a complete troll, there are quite a few enjoyable songs on DT's newer albums, but personally I haven't found a whole lot of evolution going on. What I have found, however, is an almost endless supply of keyboard and guitar battles going on between Rudess and Petrucci. I've grown tired of it. At the same time though I'm worried that Porcupine Tree's going down the same road in that they'll be doomed to making melancholic dreary music (as evidenced by The Incident) for the remainder of their career. Luckily Steven Wilson's solo work has shown quite a bit of promise as far as new directions go.
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I totally agree with your assessment regarding DT. Jordan Rudess seemed, at first, to refresh DT, but at the long run he has stalled them. I always tell my friends that Dream Theater doesn't need to get rid of LaBrie, they need to get rid of Rudess. Have you guys heard what Kevin Moore is doing these days? What he did with OSI is truly the direction Dream Theater should have been going... but hey, i still like them just not as much as before.
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Dream Theater made me listen to Rush,Yes, ELP, Genesis.. That must count for something!
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EatThatPhonebook
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2009
Location: Norwich, VT
Status: Offline
Points: 788
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Posted: April 26 2010 at 13:24 |
PT, I guess. I also really like DT. 
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elder08
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 25 2010
Location: Russia
Status: Offline
Points: 236
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Posted: April 26 2010 at 14:05 |
SergiUriah wrote:
Porcupine Theater, no doubt. |
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"There are people who say we [Pink Floyd] should make room for younger bands. That's not the way it works. They can make their own room."- David Gilmour
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elder08
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 25 2010
Location: Russia
Status: Offline
Points: 236
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Posted: April 26 2010 at 14:06 |
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FU OP this is a hard desicion ive listened to both equally (not alot of either) and i'd say PT
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"There are people who say we [Pink Floyd] should make room for younger bands. That's not the way it works. They can make their own room."- David Gilmour
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progpositivity
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 15 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 262
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 19:38 |
Man Overboard wrote:
People have been commenting on the downfall of the younger generation for as long as there has been written history. How many times must we continue down that self-indulgent path? |
I cannot find the words to express the extent to which I agree with you!
Maybe I need to add that as my tagline for the next few weeks! 
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Positively the best Prog and Fusion 24/7!
http://www.progpositivity.com
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thechrisl
Forum Groupie
Joined: April 23 2010
Status: Offline
Points: 88
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Posted: April 30 2010 at 13:18 |
progpositivity wrote:
Man Overboard wrote:
People have been commenting on the downfall of the younger generation for as long as there has been written history. How many times must we continue down that self-indulgent path? |
I cannot find the words to express the extent to which I agree with you!
Maybe I need to add that as my tagline for the next few weeks! |
Someone ask Mr. Daltrey if he has decided to die before getting old yet....
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Porcupine Tree vs Dream Theater
