Dream Theater is a band full of musical geniuses, but this CD really just stands out from the rest to me. Disc 2 of “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” is a concept album. The first track of the CD is composition that gives an outline of the rest of CD. The composition has a variety of different instruments: timpani, strings, piano, and percussion accessories. This composition is only five minutes in length, but gives brief outlines of the songs for the rest of the CD. This track is called “Overture.” This is significant because it treats the songs of the CD as movements in a composed piece. “Overture” is an introduction, and overtures are used as an introduction for a dramatic, choral, or instrumental composition. It was used to give the audience an idea of what the work they would be hearing was going to be like.
This CD is very interesting that is works in the sense of being a composition. It isn’t surprising that a band like Dream Theater would do this, especially since all of them are experts at their instruments and have gone to school to study music. The CD seems to be nonstop, and every song flows into each other. This CD is very progressive in nature, and the musical performances are amazing. It is very interesting how each track on the CD represents a certain section from the opening, “Overture.” This CD has so much thought behind it, which makes it a magnificent work.
Like all other Dream Theater CDs this one has the intricate guitar solos, seamless time changes, technical drum fills, and unique keyboard effects. This CD was released in 2001, and I think that it is very inventive for the time of its release. Although Dream Theater is known for being a very progressive band that creates complicated music that strays from the usual, it is surprising that a band would put together a concept album at the time of its release. This CD just shows how much musical knowledge each member of the band actually has, and that they are really capable of doing anything. It is hard to process how a band could accomplish what they did with this CD. They were able to create songs that were four minutes or longer based off of ideas of a compositional work, which ended in a product of a concept album.
Maybe because I am a musician and have taken four years of music theory is why I find this CD so remarkable, but I think that people shouldn’t look over music like this. A CD like this is very hard to create and takes a great deal of thought. If you are interested in classical pieces, symphonies, or works from the romantic period of music, then you might find this CD to a very interesting listen. It take rock music to a whole other level, and really shows that music is an endless process that will continue to change for years to come.
Side Note: I am not going to mention any key tracks because I feel that the CD has to be listened to as a whole. The CD has been created as a concept album, therefore everything in the CD serves a certain purpose. The CD doesn’t make sense listening to certain tracks and not others.
