OCTAVARIUM

It's so hard when writing a review to not compare a new release to the artists previous releases. In this case Octavarium can not and should not compared. This album stands alone. DT in this case is showing composition skills as well as crafty instrumentation. They do not show off their chops for the sake of showing them off. It's as though they realize they are at the top of the musician food chain and no longer need to dazzel us with virtuosity. That is not to say the chops are not there, they are, just more integrated.

This album is flawless musicaly. Whether you enjoy it or not is according to your taste. It should not be according to your expectations. Altough I have thousands of prog titles at my disposal I find myself listening to Octavarium continuously.

I do find myself agreeing with people who hear the U2 influence on "I Walk Beside You" that one took me by surprise as well. It's that obivious but not nescessarilly unpleasant.