METROPOLIS PART 2 - SCENES FROM A MEMORY

Since this site is understandably youth-oriented I would like to aim this review at the "older" members and visitors who may not be at all familiar with Dream Theater. Up until a few months ago I was included in that group. If you are over 45 years old then you, like myself, might harbor the opinion that progressive rock is resting somewhere near the Titanic. I adored Genesis, Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Zappa and a host of jazz fusion artists in the late 60s and throughout the 70s. Then I watched and listened sadly as the genre got smothered by the phenomenon that was MTV and never saw it resurface. A few years ago my teen son played me something by this band. Of course, since I know everything, I dismissed it graciously and really didn't give it a chance. Then I found this site and noticed that DT is held in very high esteem by folks who like the same classic prog that I still listen to. I finally took the plunge and bought this album. Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. This is one helluva piece of music by some of the most talented musicians I've ever heard. I can't recommend it higher. I hear traces of Rush, Styx, Yes and even Zappa in the music but in no way do they sound like any of those. If there's any area of average- ness it's in the lyric content but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt because they were having to work within the restrictions of telling an involved story throughout this cd. Everything else is absolutely amazing and I don't say that lightly. Progressive rock is alive and well, it's just flying under the radar. I have a copy of Rolling Stone Magazine's Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll that is only a few years old and Dream Theater isn't even listed. That's okay, I guess. All I can tell you is that, for the first time in decades, with "Scenes" I put on an album that intrigued me as a musician and challenged my ability to completely absorb the performance on the first five or six listens. It's still in my changer three weeks later. That's what used to happen with a new release from the aforementioned groups and I was afraid those days were gone. I now look forward to hearing and experiencing what else these guys have been up to.

P.S. I have since apologized to my son who rightly responded with "I told you so."