So if you ordered the Deluxe Collector's Edition of "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" you also got a code to download 5 of the cover tracks which DT is including with the Special Edition of the album. They're being released one a week until the album is released. The first one was released to us yesterday.
I'm going to keep track of them in this thread and include a mini-review each. I am NOT reviewing the original song, just Dream Theater's rendition.
1. Stargazer - Originally released by Rainbow in 1976 on the album "Rising"
I think this song shows off James Labrie's vocal talent quite well. There's a solo break mid-song which sounds like it could fit any Dream Theater album. The main rhythm is very oldschool and sounds a little too simple for Dream Theater. Jordan's keyboards are a little understated at times. They don't fit in the mix like I'm used to from DT. Overall this is a very good cover of a classic Rainbow song.
2. Tenement Funster/Flick Of The Wrist/Lily Of The Valley - Originally released by Queen in 1974 on the album "Sheer Heart Attack"
The three songs covered here really show off the eclectic nature of Dream Theater's influences. They darkened up "Tenement Funster" and "Flick Of The Wrist" a bit and made them heavier, especially "Flick." It really sounds very foreboding and John Petrucci basically solos over the entirety of "Flick" much like Brian May did at times. This part of the track is my favorite. In "Lily Of The Valley" James LaBrie gets to show off a bit more with his falsetto, and gets backing vocals from Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci. They really nail some of the vocal harmonies you would expect in a Queen song. Jordan Rudess gets a highlight throughout the cover as a lot of Queen is very piano-centric, but he really stands out in "Lily." I can't stop listening to this one.
3. Odyssey - Originally released by Dixie Dregs in 1978 on the album "What If"
This one is a double-whammy for us Knuckleheads. We get John Petrucci playing a song originally recorded by Steve Morse. I'm going to have to listen to this and A/B it against the original. It's instrumental so we don't hear James LaBrie in this one. I'm quite pleased with the song. Dream Theater has taken a step back with this one. It sounds like it should have been on an older album such as Images and Words or Awake. I'll expand on this review once I get the chance to A/B it against the Dregs version.
4. Take Your Fingers From My Hair - Originally released by Zebra in 1983 on the album "Zebra"
I've never heard this song before. I guess that's one of the good things about covers. I'm going to listen to some Zebra now, just so I can hear the original work. This one does the classic "flip-flop" between a melodic verse and a heavy chorus. The opening starts with Jordan Rudess playing the melody and showing off a bit. There's a solo break toward the end where John Petrucci really rips it up and then is accompanied by Jordan for a few bars of harmonized shred. Mike Portnoy is really hitting the double-bass fast at the end. I like it, though it's probably my least favorite so far.
5. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two - Originally released by King Crimson in 1973 on the album "Larks' Tongues in Aspic"
Classic King Crimson, but in Dream Theater fashion. Once again, we have an instrumental so no James LaBrie. John Myung is heard well on this one which is a nice bonus. This one fits very well with Odyssey. The "feel" is very similar. There's not really much else to say about this one. It's a good cover.
So that's all 5 of the prerelease cover songs. The new album is released next Tuesday and I'll do a full review of the entire album in a new thread. If you have anything to add, please do! I'm always open to alternate viewpoints.
6. To Tame a Land - Originally released by Iron Maiden in 1983 on the album "Piece of Mind"
Very hot bass line in this cover. John Myung is represented very well and stays true to the Iron Maiden feel and in most respects the tone as well. You can tell some of James Labrie's vocal influence comes from Bruce Dickinson. He does this song VERY well. Dream Theater stayed very true to the original recording. I love that Jordan Rudess has taken the duties of the second guitar and transposed them well into his world of keyboard wizardry. The dueling solos sound great going into the harmonized decrescendo.
In retrospect, all of the covers are leaving me wanting a bit more. I'd like to hear these songs as Dream Theater would have done them. In each, they stay very true to the original and this makes for very good covers, but I'd like to hear each of the songs re-arranged and re-recorded as Dream Theater tracks not just Dream Theater playing someone else's song.
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Originally Posted by INMT
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