Dream Theater's best off album GREATEST HIT (…& 21 other pretty cool songs)

[maddox]

I blatantly copied this from the VoicesUK forum but great news if you're into Dream Theater. 

Two-Disc Set Available April 1 from Rhino

LOS ANGELES – After recently celebrating the band's 20-year anniversary, Dream Theater returns with its first-ever best-of collection. Spanning 1991-2005, the two-disc set contains rare single edits, B-sides and a trio of new remixes that spotlight that band's nonpareil musicianship, complex arrangements and amazing songwriting. Dream Theater's GREATEST HIT (...& 21 other pretty songs) will be available from Rhino on April 1 at all physical retail outlets and www.rhino.com for a suggested retail price of $19.98 and at all digital retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $12.99.

Referring to Dream Theater's first and only major radio hit, "Pull Me Under," the compilation's tongue-in-cheek title is a testament not only to the band's sense of humor but also highlights the acclaimed New York-based quintet's ability to make music and cultivate a legion of fans on its own terms, without help from radio or MTV. The collection features more than two hours of progressive hard rock from James LaBrie (vocals), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitar/vocals), Mike Portnoy (drums/vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards).

The collection contains three newly remixed versions of tracks from Dream Theater's breakout 1992 album, Images And Words: the aforementioned "Pull Me Under" as well as "Take The Time" and "Another Day." Portnoy says this album presented the perfect opportunity to give the songs a bit of a facelift. "The original mixes always sounded a bit '80s' to me, so we had our good friend and longtime mixer Kevin Shirley give the tracks a bit of an update to sound more like the rest of the Dream Theater catalog. The songs remain the same (no pun intended—Kevin just mixed that album as well), but there are little nuances in the tracks that I forgot were originally there, and it's very cool to hear them again."

The collection's 22 songs are split evenly between two discs, which are divided into "The Dark Side" (the metallic) and "The Light Side" (the melodic). Filled with some of the band's most sinister sounds, the first disc lives up to the billing of "The Dark Side." Longtime fans will appreciate the abundance of alternative versions of classic tracks, including single edits of "Lie," "Home," and "Misunderstood." Disc One concludes with two tracks from the band's 2005 album Octavarium: "The Root Of All Evil" and "Sacrificed Sons."

The second disc, "The Light Side," spotlights the band's melodic side and features an alternate mix of "Through Her Eyes," a single edit of "Solitary Shell" and "To Live Forever," a 1994 B-side from the U.K.-only single of "Lie."

A grassroots phenomenon for 20 years, Dream Theater continues to record studio albums acclaimed for award-winning musicianship as well as artistic vision. To meet the demands of a demanding global fan base, the band also maintains an active touring schedule that regularly includes sold-out performances around the world.

Dream Theater has currently been on the road since June 2007, traveling the globe in support of their latest studio album Systematic Chaos. Their world tour will conclude with a final run throughout North America in May as they premiere their "Progressive Nation" package tour with Opeth, Between The Buried And Me, and 3 supporting.

DREAM THEATER'S GREATEST HIT
(...& 21 other pretty cool songs)

Track Listing

Disc 1: (The Dark Side)
1. "Pull Me Under" (2007 Remix)
2. "Take The Time" (2007 Remix)
3. "Lie" (Single Edit)
4. "Peruvian Skies"
5. "Home" (Single Edit)
6. "Misunderstood" (Single Edit)
7. "The Test That Stumped Them All"
8. "As I Am"
9. "Endless Sacrifice"
10. "The Root Of All Evil"
11. "Sacrificed Sons"

Disc 2: (The Light Side)
1. "Another Day" (2007 Remix)
2. "To Live Forever"
3. "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream"
4. "The Silent Man"
5. "Hollow Years"
6. "Through Her Eyes" (Alternate Album Mix)
7. "The Spirit Carries On"
8. "Solitary Shell" (Single Edit)
9. "I Walk Beside You"
10. "The Answer Lies Within"
11. "Disappear"

Looks pretty decent though i must confess that i didn't expected Edit's or Remixes.
Usually these kinds of songs are ... no match for the original song.

But i'm kind of happy with it.

Except for two songs that is. 

9. "I Walk Beside You"
10. "The Answer Lies Within"

But that's just an opinion. 

Any opinions from my fellow roomies? 

[The Butterfly Man]

Any opinions from my fellow roomies? 

Yes.......simply stunning!!! I'm actually very much looking forward to the remixes of the three I&W-songs. Let's be honest, that album does sound a bit dated. Sure I understand anyone who says ''Leave those songs alone, they have their charm with this 80's sound and kind of triggered drums" but I for one am very curious how they've pimped those songs!

Cheers, Tom

[Bupie]

Frankly, I don't think that I will buy it since I have their entire discography and there is nothing very new on this Best Of. I am curious about the new version of Another Day, though. I hope they have kept the saxophon part.

[bluepony]

Well, I'm not so much into Dream Theater, but this could be interesting!

[maddox]

Frankly, I don't think that I will buy it since I have their entire discography and there is nothing very new on this Best Of. I am curious about the new version of Another Day, though. I hope they have kept the saxophon part.

That was basically my first reaction as well.

But like you i'm curious about the new versions/remixes.
I never really hoped for remixes or Edits. They usually suck big time. Look at Home. They edited it too.
Could be nice but you never ever edit a song like Home. Period.

But...

As a fan...

I doubt i can resist the pressure. 

[maddox]

The artwork for this best off album has been released:



Nice. Not very Dream Theaterish but...nice.

[Bupie]

Yes, I like it too. Is it an Hugh Syme's work again ?

[PH]

LOL good one!

But indeed not very Dream Theater-ish.


-Paco

[johninblack]

But indeed not very Dream Theater-ish.

But very Hugh Syme.......even if it isn't him!

[PH]

By the way, did you guys notice the new video for Forsaken?
Check Dream Theater's official website!


-Paco

[The Butterfly Man]

By the way, did you guys notice the new video for Forsaken?
Check Dream Theater's official website!


-Paco

Yeah it's cool, isn't it??

Tom

[PH]

Yeah, very well done.
Except that the concept is so vague that I cannot get it...


-Paco

[maddox]

By the way, did you guys notice the new video for Forsaken?
Check Dream Theater's official website!


-Paco

Yep, i did. Quite some time ago btw. Looks very good.
Almost as if they want to end up high in the top-40. 

By the way, you probably should take a look at this too. 
It's called the nightmare cinema and here you can hear and watch some releases from the band.

Looks pretty neat by the way. 

[PH]

Looks very good.
Almost as if they want to end up high in the top-40. 

Hehehehe


-Paco

[Deenfan]

There is one thing that is very good about this, and that's the title. It shows they do have self-irony.