DAILY DOSE, 02.16.07

The Church of the Everlasting Groove seems to be semi-popular with a handful of individuals and we are greatly appreciative. All we can do is ask, respectfully, that you bug the shit out of everyone you know and force them to love us. If you must use violence or other forms of illegal coercion to accomplish this goal, then so be it.

What is that you're yelling? Is it, "We want the Funk!"

Ask and ye shall receive...

Dream Theater - "Overture 1928/Strange Deja Vu" (From "Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes From a Memory")

If someone were to kidnap the (insanely) beautiful and (insanely) talented Zooey Deschanel, put a gun to her head, and, on the pain of her death, force the Rev. Jenner J. Hull to name his favorite band, he'd have to say, "Dream Theater." Then, for his heroic act, he and Zooey would ride off into the sunset on a snowy white steed, buy a small tropical island, and spend their remaining days feeding each other grapes and constantly professing their undying love for one another.

Well, we can dream, can't we?

Your Humble Reverend can't quite remember how he got into Dream Theater but, once he did, he did so obsessively and never looked back.

The first DT album I bought was "Scenes" and, once I got through the intro track (I wasn't much on the hypnotist part), was immediately hooked. "Overture" is a bombastic instrumental running through the various themes and riffs explored in the rest of the album, mixing the heavy with the light, and leads directly into "Strange Deja Vu."

I took to "Strange" immediately, mostly because of the subtle bravado of drummer Mike Portnoy. I've always had a thing for fills (regardless of the instrument) and Portnoy does it damn-near constantly and spices up every part of the Cut with his own little tweaks, be they short cymbal flourishes or double-bass bombs.

Basically, what you have is the rare "Virtuoso Line-Up." Petrucci is a Git-Fiddle God, Portnoy is a Beat Machine, Myung is a Bass Monster, Ruddess has the Fastest Fingers in the Biz, and LaBrie belts like every "Hair Metal" singer wishes he could. If you like gorgeous, interesting, and elaborately complex music, then Dream Theater should be high on the recommendations list.