Dream Theater - Images and Words

This album is a sad case of brilliance obscured by image. If you can ignore the packaging, this is an incredible album. The musicainship here is of the finest quality, and Dream Theater have the knack for writing epic compositions. Both Pull me Under and Take the Time are AOR (I've heard both on the radio) with a slight twist, how many popular songs are over 8 minutes in length? Both of these tracks are accessible, yet not, try to play along to most of Take the Time and see why. Time changes abound, somewhow you begin to see why this album was marketed this way. Metropolis is just astounding, as the middle section just boggles the mind. There are slight problems, though. The ego of the band really drains, especially on Another Day. A sax solo by the guy from Spiro Gyro??? What, was Kenny G busy that morning? Dave Koz on holiday? That song is atrocious, a true throwaway. The production is also too glossy, with artificial drum sounds, and a sterility about the album. This was made for soft ears. However, even with these heavy criticisms, this is an awesome album, highly recommended for those into progressive rock. Learning to Live alone is worth the proce of the album.