Christ, I’ve yakked on way too long about this, and not nearly enough Bruce Campbell or Kafka references! I’ll digress and sum up: a good album, undoubtedly, flawed and patchy at times, but worth it for the excellence that is on there.
Pertinent question: where does it be placed on the Dream Theater discography ranking then?
I would say above Falling Into Infinity and Train Of Thought, but below the rest. This is actually the first time I’ve thought about that rhetorical; I never before realised I warranted it such a low position. I guess I always look upon the optimal material on there, of which there is easily a sufficient amount.
For more meanderings visit me here: Generic Mugwump.
ed/pub:NB
Article comments
1 - Guppusmaximus
I've always wondered how someone who isn't into a particular band can actually do a review without any bias... "Octavarium" is a crappy album and leaves me to believe that it was done out of either contractual agreement or a massive brain fart on part of the band. This sonic garbage was also witnessed on Mr. Labrie's latest solo effort. Some people may not like the complex dwellings of a band ahead of their time but this does not mean that they should toy with a formula that has been rewarding just to please the D-tuned Nu-Metal brainless twits!! "Train of Thought" was a far superior album and "Falling..." actually showed some maturity for it's time. I won't even start in about the mentioning of In Flames in this article....
2 - nugget
what the hell are you talking about? Was all of that necesssary? Review the music and quit talking a bunch of horse crap.
3 - Aaron Fleming
Guppusmaximus - you seem to be accusing Octavarium of aiming at the mass nu-metal market, yet praise Train of Thought, which I like, but take off This Dying Soul and Stream of Consciousness and you're left with an excess of banal downtunery that does just that.
Falling Into Infinity is fine, but is just, compared with the rest, poor.
I don't quite get your opening remark, are you saying I'm not into the band?
Insinuations of bias? Well obviously I'm biased, this is nothing beyond a subjective writing.
Oh, and the In Flames mention was a very minor reference (an elucidation of an association I get), and do recognise that Stand Ablaze was on the Subterranean EP, a good five years before they started peddling crap.
4 - Aaron Fleming
Nugget - you're lucky I even mentioned the music, surely you've seen some of the reviews around here, I could have had an essay about tying my laces twice in the space of an hour and the terror I felt at the constant gradual loosening of said laces, and how the laces were purchased from a Harry Potter devotee, and how in the financial exchange misunderstandings led to harsh sneers, and etc etc, oh and by the way the album's alright.
5 - Chris Akin
I love when people write that same dumb line that "if you aren't into a band, you shouldn't review it". Uhhh...that's exactly who should review it. If you ARE a fan of a band, then more times than not you are willing to overlook the bad points of a recording and accentuate the positive points of it. An 8/10 review from a fan almost always translates to a 5/10 review from someone that isn't a fan. As another non-DT fan, I'd have to say that Octavarium goes back to what this band has done over the last decade - it meanders on way to long to let all the instrumentalists noodle around. Dream Theater has always been, and continues to be, the best instrumental band out there. They also continue to be the single most undisciplined band out there, because they aimlessly create 8-15 minute songs where 1/2 of the musical meandering is unnecessary and pointless. Octavarium is another Dream Theater album that no one will talk about a year from now - period.
6 - Eric Olsen
I too am a non-fan of the band but a great fan of the reviewer: I enjoyed being brought into an entertaining thought process and tagging along as it puttered about poking this and that. Thanks Aaron!
To get a real feel for the status of any work of art, I want to hear about from both a fan and a non-fan - then I can vector it
7 - Aaron Fleming
No, thank you Eric. Compliments are always welcome, especially from yourself!
8 - Guppusmaximus
Chris,
You proved my point... As a non-fan you wouldn't give the album an indepth look because you are already sold on your own biased view. I, being a fan since the beginning with a fond memory of their prior fantastic "noodling" having made the mistake of purchasing this waste of plastic that lacks the integrity of their prior releases, has some emotion at stake. Having to admit that a truley loved band in my collection came out with an utter train wreck(oops, maybe that was the last album...but I actually liked "train of thought")is quite a hard thing to do but considering I am perched,most of the time, ready to attack other not-so-loved bands, I still have to be a true music critic. Maybe you don't like progressive music? Maybe you don't like Metal? But, getting a review from the likes of you or a non-fan about a purely talented, successful band wouldn't be accurate... So, I would've still purchased this awful CD.
So, Eric here is your review from a fan:
"Octavarium" seesm to me like a polished attempt to get in with the Nu-Metal brainless jackasses...Period.
9 - nugget
"I too am a non-fan of the band but a great fan of the reviewer: I enjoyed being brought into an entertaining thought process and tagging along as it puttered about poking this and that. Thanks Aaron!
To get a real feel for the status of any work of art, I want to hear about from both a fan and a non-fan - then I can vector it "
no. It was just lame. An insider's joke apparantly. I'm not much of a fan, yet I wanted to read a real review. I didn't count on a parodying blogcritic jag-off thread.
10 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
and that lester bangs. how dare he wax on about this an that for three pages of a Slade review?? dammit to hell!
Sir Fleming, this is wonderful, nothing less. and i enjoyed reading about Dream Theater!!! really enjoyed, in fact, which, being a non-fan, is something i never imagined happening. but there it is!
(and i agree about the waxing regarding Harry Potter devotees and shoelaces. who can be bothered with anything of the like...)
11 - nugget
the circle jerk is now completed.
12 - Guppusmaximus
Nugget,
Thanks for noticing the shameless ass kissing session on this thread...
Was this actually about Dream Theater or a suave attempt to further a hack's credentials on a band he obviously has no love for? This is one instance where a band with virtually unlimited talent and resources "dropped the ball" and I agree that Mr. Fleming could've been straight to the point without all the meanderings and the obvious apologetic intro that proves he doesn't care enough to write an accurate review...
13 - Aaron Fleming
Hahah, fucking hell, this is some insane heckling going on right here.
Obviously attempt to write a review with some personal annecdotes and humour and it clearly means you could care less for the band in question.
Clearly the fact that one Dream Theater fan could have a different opinion from another is mind-blowingly insane, and would never ever happen!
No love? Because I rate it above two other albums? Here, don't forget those magnificent albums that reside above Octavarium. Perhaps this should have been an depth thesis into why that bit at 4:19 in Under A Glass Moon is better than all of Octavarium put together.
Here's an idea, there's a whole Internet teeming with straight reviews of this album, go and read them.
14 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
"Here's an idea, there's a whole Internet teeming with straight reviews of this album, go and read them."
and that is the crux of the situation.
what lunacy, what madness! and i never for a second got the impression you couldn't be bothered writing about them so you wrote about other stuff. i got the impression you cared about the record so much, in fact, that to present anything OTHER than this kinda personal where-i-was type affair woulda been a damn cop-out.
this heckling is indeed somethin insaniacal.
and how come positive remarks are "ass-kissing" and "circle jerkin" an the like, and yet negative comments ain't ever given any sort of categorical analysis or nothin. maybe some sort of syphilis could be attributed, if we're gonna go with ass kissin an circle jerkin for the other.
15 - Guppusmaximus
"Here's an idea, there's a whole Internet teeming with straight reviews of this album, go and read them..."
Yeah,but this is BlogCritics.org,"A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, technology, and politics."
Where's the superiority? Wouldn't being superior imply that you could write a review that would capture the essance of the cd at hand better than the other supposed websites??
"I'm not much of a fan, yet I wanted to read a real review. I didn't count on a parodying blogcritic jag-off thread."
I guess I will have to just agree with nugget even though I am a fairly huge fan...
16 - Aaron Fleming
Sorry, I probably should have included a track-by-track rundown of the album, followed by an overall summing up, oh, wait a second...
17 - Aaron Fleming
Also, according to yourself the album is crappy, and I assume from your negative comments that you think the same of my review, so therefore does it not indeed capture that essence of which you speak. A parallel of garbage you could say.
18 - Paul Roy
Great review Aaron. I am a fan of the band, but I can't really disagree with most of your review. Octavarium is just OK. Equivalent to Train and Six Degrees, but not as good as the rest. They sorely need an outside producer - and replacing that annoying keyboard virtuoso wouldn't hurt either.
19 - Aaron Fleming
Thanks Paul.
Oh and don't listen to those crazies, I am indeed a big fan of the band.
I don't mind Rudess, but it surely wouldn't be a bad thing if Kevin Moore were to return.
20 - Mat Brewster
What are you people talking about? Aaron so totally reviews the friggin' album. He talks about the songs, and the music, and the lyrics, and the...no well that's pretty much it. But its all there.
Great freakin' review, Aaron.
And can I get into that circle jerk? Sounds fun.
21 - Aaron Fleming
Cheers Mat.
Of course man, we're having a great time in the circle and it is our desire to have you participate. Circle jerks for all!
22 - DJRadiohead
I guess I actually liked Train of Thought better.
Even great musicianship requires an occasional hook. Jordan Rudess kind of kills it for me sometimes. I hate those random keyboard squiggles. If you don't have anything to play, then don't. Also... not enough Portnoy. That guy is boss.
Our circle jerk is becoming a trapezoid. Good review, Aaron.
23 - Mat Brewster
Circle jerks for all!
You should, nay you must, run a political campaign based on that slogan.
24 - Gear
Went to my first DT concert this autumn, the Octavarium tour, and I must say, they were at least as good if not better live. They are so incredibly tight.
The live version of the song Octavarium blew me away. And what the great tune it is on the studio album anyways?! The synth solo is the best Ive ever heard. Makes the album worth it even if you dont like the rest of the songs. Ive even converted two of my roommates..
Great album this, from some of the best musicians on the face of the planet.
25 - Jack
I thought it was a good review for a pretty bad album. You were right when the last half picked up, and the track "Octavarium" is an orgasm of prog.
Props, mate.