BCSL (Black Clouds and Silver Linings) DREAM THEATER

The first play, I skipped on the first song ('A Nightmare to Remember'), sorry. But, it's about another helpless victim of life without hopeful conclusion.

Then, I also skipped 'A Rite of Passage', sorry again. I simply wanted to hear the stuff I never heard before, and I already got this song from YouTube, so this song is kinda too familiar by now.

Then I listened to 'Wither'. I also got this song from the Net before I got the CD, but it's way cooler than 'A Rite...' by now so I still dig it very much.

Then comes the bummer...

'The Shattered Fortress' is basically a medley of some pre-BCSL songs with 'morphed' lyrics. A good idea... as a live performance. As part of studio release... lame! Mostly it's 'Scenes from a Memory' songs... I'm not sure, because I SKIPPED IT immediately after I realise what an ugly thing it is. Bad idea guys, sorry. You probably tried to put 'SFAM' concept to a new level... well I'm telling you: It's the WRONG level. It's not even on the same galaxy! C'mon...

'The Best of Times' is awesome! It's simply beautiful!

Then I skip 'The Count of Tuscany' to get back to 'Wither' and 'The Best...'.

The second time I played BCSL, I gain the ability to 'digest' the helplessness song ('A Nightmare...') and the fictional songs ('The Count...').

DT is still great. BCSL is not all just another album in the discography. The talent is there.

What becomes more evident is the lack of freshness.

Mike speaks frankly when he said that the band has never come to a writer's block and in the contrary they constantly have an abundance of ideas.

I'm your fan Mike, but... here's the ugly thing behind an abundance of ideas: It's getting harder and harder to find a fresh one from that stacking pile. As more ideas get tangled up, stale ones can appear fresh at a glance... but when you (and we) crack it open, it reveals something ugly and stinky... ugh!

So, I hope they see what I'm trying to say. I'll always be a DT fan. I think the talents in the band are so amazing, there's gotta be a lot more to come.

But, frankly, it's sad that I can't initially 'digest' an entire new album anymore, as it used to be with all previous albums. In fact, I already 'chewed' longer and harder since 'Train of Thought'. It's getting tiring...

I understand that their live is much settling now: Amazing career, happy family, growing respect from other bands (even legends), and so on.

Live's getting so at hand. No more big struggle, no more hard questions, not much to talk about (into lyrics).

But, that's what I dig about DT lyrics. It talks about real life struggle, through awesome journey (which is the music).

I was already gritting when SFAM concept of mental disorder (and helplessness) was repeated in 'Octavarium' (the song). What a waste! All that Genesis melody... only to serve the same talk all over again.

But, talks about mental disorder is somewhat still way more relevant to me than those fictional talks that came later in 'In the Presence of Enemies', 'The Dark Eternal Night', and of course, here in BCSL, 'The Count of Tuscany'.

That's why I think 'The Best of Times' is the best song here.

'Wither' does talk about helplessness but I think it concludes to good ending. Maybe I got it wrong, maybe it's about suicide. The way I get it, it's on the same sense as 'The Answer Lies Within' from 'Octavarium'.

I dunno, but it seems that the relevancy curve is going down between me and DT, for quite some time now. Please guys, don't hit the bottom, for me!

Having such an amazing career means that you can draw inspiration from more sources (families, other bands, crews), instead of resourcing to fiction and cliche... and worse: Repeating yourself!

Once again, I'm still a fan, DT is still great, BCSL is not disappointing at all, and I believe there's still more to come.

Rock on guys! Keep on the talent!