The Devin Townsend Supermegathread!

[BlackMastodon]

I think he wanted to do Z2 for years before he recorded it I remember hearing about it in early DTP days, basically around Addicted. My understanding was that Sky Blue was more of a result from the label and management so there's something more digestible than a full on rock opera album. Some of the nightmare on the Z2 process was a result of the universal choir, but I agree, overall the final product suffered from everything involved.

As for Genesis, I'm pretty indifferent towards it. It's fun as a preview for the album but I'm sure I'll skip it entirely while listening to the album. I'd rather just listen to the songs individually than hear short snippets of all the songs mashed together.

I'll wait to see how it is when it's released, but I liked Transcendence. I think it was his best work since Deconstruction partly because the band had more input.

 

[ppinkham]

As for Genesis, I'm pretty indifferent towards it. It's fun as a preview for the album but I'm sure I'll skip it entirely while listening to the album. I'd rather just listen to the songs individually than hear short snippets of all the songs mashed together.

Genesis isn't really snippets of other songs, it is its own thing. Some parts share similar vibes to other parts of the album, but it isn't like Rush's 2112 Overture, for example. I think Devin referring to it as a type of overture has been misleading.

 

[jonajon91]

I think he wanted to do Z2 for years before he recorded it I remember hearing about it in early DTP days, basically around Addicted. My understanding was that Sky Blue was more of a result from the label and management so there's something more digestible than a full on rock opera album. Some of the nightmare on the Z2 process was a result of the universal choir, but I agree, overall the final product suffered from everything involved.

I'm pretty sure it was the other way round. The label wanted a follow up to the highly successful Ziltoid album that still draws in new listeners over a decade later, but Devin just wanted to write pop music. Interviews from around the time all said how he wrote five big chorus's for every prog riff that he wrote at the time.

"My view on the second disc, 'Dark Matters,' is different again. Seven years have gone by since the first 'Ziltoid.' That was a really psychological record for me and he was a representation of me at that time, you know, I'd just had a kid, I was coming out of drugs and quitting my band, Strapping Young Lad, stuff like that. I just don't care about that stuff as much as I did."

It seems to me around the time of these interviews he was more eager to talk about Sky blue, Casualties and a (yet unreleased) album called 'Garden music'.

 

[Kwert]

Genesis isn't really snippets of other songs, it is its own thing. Some parts share similar vibes to other parts of the album, but it isn't like Rush's 2112 Overture, for example. I think Devin referring to it as a type of overture has been misleading.

I don’t think that’s misleading. An overture doesn’t have to use material from the rest of the work, it just introduces and sets the tone for what is to come later. Many opera overtures do not use material from the rest of the opera, but by the same token there are many that do. What they all do, is give you an idea of what you might be in for later down the line.

 

[ChugThisBoy]

 

[isispelican]

I notice many similarities between this Jacob Collier song / video and Genesis. I think they are both chaotic and intelligent individuals and wanted to fit the entire essence of their albums in one video.

 

[ppinkham]

I don’t think that’s misleading. An overture doesn’t have to use material from the rest of the work, it just introduces and sets the tone for what is to come later. Many opera overtures do not use material from the rest of the opera, but by the same token there are many that do. What they all do, is give you an idea of what you might be in for later down the line.

It's misleading in that many are interpreting it as being a song made up of pieces of other songs. I agree that an overture doesn't require that approach, but many are assuming that's what Genesis is, a collection of snippets.

 

[Veldar]

I notice many similarities between this Jacob Collier song / video and Genesis. I think they are both chaotic and intelligent individuals and wanted to fit the entire essence of their albums in one video.

And both songs aren't very good

 

[skvld]

I just listened through Genesis a few more times. At this point, I think it's killer. Just a beautiful and fun statement.

The instrumental section starting at 6:10 really sticks out to me. It sounds amazing and grooves really hard, but more than that, it's got a vibe that I've never heard from Devin before.

 

[Solodini]

It's misleading in that many are interpreting it as being a song made up of pieces of other songs. I agree that an overture doesn't require that approach, but many are assuming that's what Genesis is, a collection of snippets.

Then surely that's an issue of misinterpretation due to lack of broader knowledge, rather than them listeners being mislead?

 

[coreysMonster]

I think he wanted to do Z2 for years before he recorded it I remember hearing about it in early DTP days, basically around Addicted. My understanding was that Sky Blue was more of a result from the label and management so there's something more digestible than a full on rock opera album. Some of the nightmare on the Z2 process was a result of the universal choir, but I agree, overall the final product suffered from everything involved.

I downloaded the book again to read up on what he had said:
In his book he says that he had promised to do Z2, and then a bunch of stuff about finances and burnout and hypnotherapists, and he ultimately says he didn't want to do it because he had made that promise 7 years prior, and that making it was like pulling teeth. He had promised his label to do a follow-up to Epicloud, and as the music for Z2 started coming out the label started complaining, saying it didn't fit to the vibe of Epicloud. As a compromise they agreed to do a double-album, one to capitalize on the momentum of Epicloud, the other to finally make good on the promise of Z2, which wouldn't be under the moniker of DTP but rather a "solo" album.

"I didn't feel like recording again, money was tight, and after being so satisfied with the Casualties of Cool album, DTP wasn't where my heart was at the point. [...] I was so sick of it all. Not angry, there was no existential crisis, I was flat out tired, frustrated and resentful of the amount of chaos I had brought on myself over the years."

He was ultimately proud of the achievement and ended up liking both records as finished products, the album ended up winning a Juno, but he was frustrated with that, because he felt a lot of his previous albums had been way more deserving and far less difficult to make.

"I realized upon the conclusion of it all that I needed to make sure I never backed myself into a corner like that again."

Straight from the earthworm's mouth. So, you're right, Sky Blue was the result of the label putting pressure on him, Z2 the result of fans putting pressure on him to make good on the promise he had made once upon a moon.

(On a side-note, I tried to indent the quotation paragraphs, but the indentation tag from the WYSIWYG editor is getting blocked by the website. Is this a known bug?)

 

[ppinkham]

Then surely that's an issue of misinterpretation due to lack of broader knowledge, rather than them listeners being mislead?

Definitely debatable. The song itself was not intended to be an overture, and it isn't even the first piece on the album, so is it an actual overture? Devin says it acts "like" an overture, but does that actually make it one?

Genesis is the second song on an album that contains pieces of music displaying different vibes. A few of these vibes are represented in other parts of the album. This can be said of almost any progressive song on an any progressive album by any progressive band.

So, is it an overture? Like an overture? Or just a song that is reminiscent of an overture?

My point in the whole thing is that Genesis is not a solid representation of the album. It is the most sporadic song on Empath. I think Devin's intent with song placement and release was more like "If you can get through this and enjoy it, the rest is cake."

 

[Dayviewer]

There's samples of all tracks here (including the bonus disk) low bitrate, but hey it's something haha:
https://www.bol.com/nl/p/empath/9200000104861781/?s2a=#productTitle

 

[The Mirror]

There's samples of all tracks here (including the bonus disk) no bitrate

FTFY

 

[Dayviewer]

FTFY

Fair enough

 

[Jarmake]

New song, guys. Getting some old Dev -vibes here. Can't say much more yet...

 

[ChugThisBoy]

I like it.

 

[lemeker]

I'm not really gelling with the new stuff so far. It almost seems to adventurous, even for Devy.

 

[skvld]

I can tell that Evermore is going to take some repeated listens for me. So far, it seems super rad. Definitely getting some Infinity vibes, but also some Zappa and Vai, and maybe a little Cardiacs too.

 

[Dayviewer]

Official video:


Just like Genesis it took me a few listens but then I got it and I like it, I expect it to be with the other songs as well.