A CHANGE OF SEASONS

Normally I don't collect EPs and even rarer than me collecting one is bothering to listen to it, but this is certainly an exception. I'd heard people mention that the title track on here was better than my favorite DT song at the time, Octavarium's title track. So I finally bothered to get my hands on this EP, and what a gem it is. So now, let's talk about it some:

1. A Change of Seasons - Starts with a soft, melodic intro with guitar bringing us into the song with piano backing it up. Some very beautiful vocals come in for a bit during this time. At 1:26 this gets broken up with a heavy guitar riff and drums coming in. After a bit this is interspaced with bass and what sounds like wind chimes. At this point, the listener knows he's in for a memorable epic, one maybe even on par with some of the classic 70s epics. Some great guitar and drum interplay in the first section of this song. A great guitar riff comes in around 4 minutes in. This is most certainly DT at its height. Petrucci really gets his guitar wailing on this part. A little later, Labrie's vocals come in. I simply can't put in words how powerful this song is. While I used to think Octavarium was DT's best track, but this is ever so slightly better. This is Dream Theater at their peak. A bit after 10 minutes another long instrumental section which is one of my favorite sections on the song. Around 13 ½ minutes Labrie comes back into the mix with keys and funky bass supporting him. At 17 minutes I love the transition to a somewhat softer section with all the instruments equally noticeable and in the mix. It really shows just how powerful DT was at this point in the band's history. The line we heard at the beginning of the song comes in at the 20 minute mark, except this time much more distorted and heavier. This is a song that must be heard to be believed. One of the best epics of the 90s and today. 10+/10

2 - 5. I don't feel the need to go through and explain all of these. It's a collection of cover songs that were performed live by DT at some jazz club in London, although the last track is a collection of cover songs. You can certainly look them up, since the names and which songs are covered aren't that hard to find. It certainly shows off some of their influences, especially a few prog ones, but otherwise these songs are just that: covers. I really wish Dream Theater had chosen to put some, oh, I don't know, Dream Theater songs on here! These songs are enjoyable from time to time, but I don't want to hear DT songs, not cover songs on a DT EP. 7.5/10

So all in all, this EP contains one of the best songs Dream Theater has ever written as well as 4 cover songs. And quite honestly, at over 50 minutes, I'm not sure how this is even an EP. It's certainly longer than many LPs out there. Oh well. This EP could very well be 5 stars for the excellent title track, but the fact that DT couldn't fill the rest of this EP/LP with DT songs certainly brings it down a star for me. Actually, I think this really deserves 3 stars, but the title track is such an essential DT track to hear that I can't say it isn't essential. Therefore, I'll give it a 4 out of 5 since this is DT at their prime, but the cover songs really bring it down to 3.5/5.