Image from Magna Carta
The Artists |
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Contributors |
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The Songs |
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The Artists |
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Contributors |
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The Songs |
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What do bands do on the layoff between albums? While most of them seem to self-destruct, Dream Theater continues to make some kickin' music!!! John Myung and ex-DT keyboardist Derek Sherinian displayed their wares on Platypus's album, When Pus Comes to Shove. John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy showed their skills on several albums, most famous of which are the Liquid Tension Experiment albums. James LaBrie's album, Mullmuzzler, is a true testament to his singing abilities and musicianship, and carries on the tradition that the rest of the band has set.
Joining forces with some of Magna Carta's finest, the album showcases the singing ability of James along with the musical prowess of the other bandmembers and songwriters. Most of the songs have riffs and fills that are instantly recognizable with the people who wrote them.
The musicians that played on this album are absolutely phenomenal, from the light speed double bass drum of Mike Mangini, to the funky bass of Bryan Beller. The keyboards of Matt Guillory should be familiar to people who have listened to Explorers Club. Guitarist Mike Keneally laid down some nice grooves for the album(although if you're a fan of the guitar solo, don't look for many on this album!)
The album starts of with His Voice, a chilling tribute to James' friend who committed suicide 15 years ago. The song laments over the wish that more could have been done more and that he and others could have "...recognized a silenced cry of sweet lies." The song features a blistering drums and keyboards, with a broad range of vocals laid down by James.
Statued starts off with a unique guitar/keyboard/drum fill, before falling into a funky almost jazz like verse. The choruses are striaght ahead rock and roll, culminating in a full out bombastic ending featuring full drums, guitar and keyboards.
Shores of Avalon bears the characteristics of the band that helped write it, Shadow Gallery. The song is slow and heavy, laden with keyboard and bass. There are some of the trademark Shadow Gallery scale runs and drum fills.
Beezlebubba is a very unique (and undoubtedly will become very controversial) song, about the Clinton Sex Scandal. There are no direct references to the guilty parties involved, but the lyrics undeniably relate the song to the scandal:
"An intern in a silhouette/Gets DNA from the president..."
and"Slick Willy/is selling his jive/Slick Willy/ is taking a dive..."
The song is a reflection of the attitudes of the American public toward the whole trial and impeachment, and what may or may not have occurred there. The music to the song itself is very cool, featuring a start/stop, hurky-jerky, back and forth feeling. There are some very cool trombone and horn parts throughout the song, adding to the comical, almost hilarious nature of the song.
Guardian Angel is another heavy riff-laden song, again also partially written by members of Shadow Gallery. This song is the heaviest on the album and is very well written.
Sacrifice is this albums equivalent to the 80's/90's ballad. If this song had been written about a year and a half earlier, my wife and I would have used it in our wedding music. It's a totally awesome, but different love song. As James states in his Magna Carta interview:
"The character of the song has a wife who has come tragically into an accident, where she is now paralyzed, and he is saying that I remember this and that and how supportive you were of me, and how strong you were to really let me pursue my dreams, to let me do what I did. And you made it so much more meaningful, and worth it because I knew you were behind me. And now that things have changed, and you're in a very desperate situation, in the sense that you now need somebody to help you through this very difficult time, I'm not about to let you down. I will be there as much as you were there for me, and even though you are now not physically the same person, you still are to me. I'm there, I remember the good times, and we will still be together; we'll wake up together all the time, and forever. Again, as with most of the other lyrics, it's basically spiritual."
Read the rest of this interview by clicking the Magna Carta symbol, then go to the Mullmuzzler page.
Lace is a song about discrimination and how society at large tends to hate or discriminate against that which it does not or will not understand or tolerate. It is another well-written song, encompassing the deep dark nature of the lyrics and matching it with staccato guitars, drums, and bass.
Slow Burn is another lovely ballad, but in this case it seems to be kind of the opposite of Sacrifice. This song is about the hard times and feelings that are experienced by a loss of someone.
As a Man Thinks is quite unique. An electronic tour-de-force, the song features synthesizers, electronic drums, chanted lyrics, severe time and mood switches, and infectious grooves. It is one of those songs that defy description, and must be heard to appreciated (this song is very much like Impact 2 on Explorer's Club.)