Ayreon: The Human Equation - Extended Play Lounge (Episode 15)
Added 2022-03-08 00:53:10 +0000 UTCI humbly present to you a reaction that contains 20 songs and lasts two hours and six minutes.
This was a massive undertaking, and I'm very pleased to have taken the plunge. I marvel at Arjen's instincts and courage. This is a great story to follow for a few hours. I hope you'll give it a chance (if it's new to you).
Just for the record, I recorded in two sessions. I took about a 10 minute break in between the two 'CDs'. During the first part of the video, you'll see my eyes darting downward. I'm monitoring my phone and communicating in a family discussion. I noticed it start after I had started filming, and I just didn't want to stop. (Because, filming something like this takes a lot of intent and energy...and once I'm going I hate stopping.) It was one of those conversations that I needed to occasionally participate in. I just wanted to explain my eye movement...because I sure noticed it as I was editing.
I hope you enjoy!
Comments
They did this whole album live as musical theater, The Theater Equation. There is a DVD of it, really cool. Most of the original singers are there.
Marcela Hofman-Mourao
2022-05-20 12:10:45 +0000 UTCSo cool! Hope you sent this to Arjen. He will love it!
Marcela Hofman-Mourao
2022-05-20 11:58:35 +0000 UTCI joined the 5 dollars tear specifically to join you on this reaction. Everyone above had good points, but I'd like to point out that I was giggling hard at the end, because, since you don't know the Ayeron major plot, that must have fried your brains a bit. It was fun to watch, and to see your insights on it as always, Doug!
Bruno Credidio
2022-04-16 03:31:51 +0000 UTCThis is one of my top ten albums, I've listened to it numerous times and watched the live dvd a bunch of times as well. Always gets me, a masterpiece!
Mikael Snåre
2022-04-08 12:16:18 +0000 UTCWhat a pleasure this was, my gosh what incredible stuff. Can't wait to dig into another but for now I still am quite behind with a certain piano concerto for which I plan to take notes :)
Eduardo Alejandro del Corral Lira
2022-03-18 10:24:41 +0000 UTCYou may not be old enough to remember the phrase "rock opera"... but that sums this up exactly. Not really a musical because there is spoken word in a musical: no, the interaction between the participants is contained within the songs, so that makes it an opera, which is all music.
Chris Ramsbottom
2022-03-15 18:29:06 +0000 UTCThanks for doing this listen! I became a Patron just for this video. Really enjoyed it the reaction and commentary! The music video versions for some of these songs are a bit different from that album versions and shorter. The album version of Come Back To Me ends with Me singing "There's no way out my whole world is black. I try to shout, something's holding me back." Which leads into the theme of the next song.
Brandon Blume
2022-03-10 16:14:03 +0000 UTCIt's Narrative driven, No worries if that's how you react to the conceptual albums on these extended play listens. I think the break and change back to the stops was a solid choice.
Arrow2theACL
2022-03-09 18:21:08 +0000 UTCYeah... Most Ayreon albums have some cool stuff on them but he doesn't tie themes together enough for me... no reprises, ect. Plus the melodies themselves often do not leave a mark on me but there are some occasional exceptions.. I really cannot wait for him to do Similitude but judging from the poll it's not happening anytime soon, sigh... Neal Morse's concept albums just seem to bring every bit of what I want and expect out of them.
Justin Humberger
2022-03-09 15:52:57 +0000 UTCMine as well. Work of pure genius!
Barry Weinberg
2022-03-09 15:50:28 +0000 UTCWhat a great album and a great analysis as well. I'm thankful you enjoyed this album as much as you did, Doug! Now time for Into the Electric Castle!
Aidan McDonald
2022-03-09 09:08:04 +0000 UTCI thoroughly enjoyed re-living vicariously through your reactions and analyses. I've been a fan of Arjen and Ayreon since '00 when I discovered Universal Migrator Parts 1 and 2, and I thank you for sharing 2 hours of your life with us.
Aaron E Austin
2022-03-09 05:12:48 +0000 UTCI tried to "bribe" him 6 months ago into doing The Astonishing. It's their best album to me and it's right up his wheel house.
Steven Biggs
2022-03-09 03:41:40 +0000 UTCVery extended session Doug, Kudos on keeping it interesting!
Jim Reeves
2022-03-09 00:28:18 +0000 UTCIncredible Doug. This is my favorite Ayreon album and have listened to it countless times and you helped me experience it at a new level. Your interview with Arjen was also great. My favorite musician talking with my favorite Youtuber....Priceless! Want a challenge? Take on Dream Theater's "The Astonishing" next. That's another masterpiece of musicianship and storytelling! I love what you do!
Barry Weinberg
2022-03-08 23:43:47 +0000 UTCWhat a fun reaction. I hadn’t listened to the full album in many years, so it was great to get reacquainted! Cool bit of trivia on this album: when Arjen initially approached Devin Townsend about participating in the project, Devin declined, saying something along the lines of, “I appreciate the offer, but I’m not really into singing other people’s lyrics and melodies.” Arjen came back to him and said, “ok, what if I let you write your own lyrics and melodies?” Dev accepted and, after receiving the instrumental tracks, composed and recorded his vocal parts on his own. Arjen was shocked when he got back not one or two vocal tracks per song, but massively layered choirs of Devin’s voice. What amazing trust to hand over your work to a stranger and give them the freedom to interpret it as they will.
Jess Markt
2022-03-08 17:52:44 +0000 UTCThanks...fixed.
R. Douglas Helvering
2022-03-08 17:08:44 +0000 UTCWhat a great reaction and analysis! Thank you so much for that, Doug. When I heard you say “he’s in a dreamworld” I thought: “Wait till you get to the end…” The ending specifically connects to the previous album ‘Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer’. You connected the dots perfectly!
Toby
2022-03-08 14:47:49 +0000 UTCWelcome to the Ayreon experience. Hopefully we get some more of his albums featured in this segment.
ibd77
2022-03-08 13:49:52 +0000 UTCThat buildup at the end is majestic! Chills everytime
Blop
2022-03-08 12:41:14 +0000 UTCEnjoyed your analysis. I want mention that the title should be the Human Equation rather than the Human Condition.
Edward Malthouse
2022-03-08 12:39:35 +0000 UTCThat great evil Hammond solo on "Loser" is by none other than the great Ken Hensley from Uriah Heep. RIP.
Jukka Alanen
2022-03-08 09:12:26 +0000 UTCNot my favorite Ayreon album, but it is still an enjoyable journey. The last song is rather underwhelming both narratively and musically (and I say that as a big fan).
Oliver Homann
2022-03-08 06:32:02 +0000 UTCI just watched the entire thing, watching you experience the whole thing in one go was absolutely incredible. This album has been one of my favorites for a long time and I always enjoy seeing people react to it for the first time. I could tell just how much you were being drawn into it because it seemed like you barely had time to scratch at the surface of the theory of the music. Once you’ve had enough time to digest this album (took me months), I can recommend looking into The Theater Equation, it is a live staging of this album featuring almost every original cast member. They play out all of the scenes with everything you’d expect from a live musical. From costuming, to choreography, to surprisingly complex set design for some of the more grounded locations in the story. There are some videos of it floating around online but honestly the DVD is not very hard to come by and the video is well worth a full purchase. Could be a good video for a future EPL, but honestly enjoying it on your own time may be a better way to appreciate it.
Andrew Clark
2022-03-08 05:38:58 +0000 UTCYup, including the live video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oriR8CpI-Io
Snatcher42
2022-03-08 03:47:38 +0000 UTC"Inside Out" is an excellent movie, if only for casting Lews Black as Anger. 🙂
Garance A Drosehn
2022-03-08 03:44:47 +0000 UTCFloor and Irene sang together with Star One.
Jean-Michel LaFontaine
2022-03-08 02:26:33 +0000 UTCI haven't watched the whole thing yet, but just to explain the ending a little bit without spoiling too much: correct, it connects to (nearly) all the other Ayreon albums. The Dream Sequencer is a device central to the Universal Migrator Parts 1 and 2, and the final voice is Forever of the Stars, from Into The Electric Castle.
Snatcher42
2022-03-08 01:10:46 +0000 UTCWOOOOOOO!!!! 🤘
Jordan
2022-03-08 01:03:17 +0000 UTC
