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After a month of listening I can safely say that I love this album, and am connecting with it on a level that perhaps goes deeper than the previous few albums. It feels really cohesive and tells a story lyrically that I can put myself into. Not to be cheesy, but if SLAS was like a storm, right now certainly feel like the storm itself with a combination of the virus, family death, cancer diagnoses etc, and this album has been a great companion in that regard. For better or worse, this album marks a time both heavy in my own life and heavy globally, and for that I will always remember it. I should also mention that the mixing/production is fantastic. It's a great sounding album filled with quiet/contemplative songs not concerned with being overly dramatic/grandiose, and I really respect the consistency in direction. Top songs: A Momentary Truth (I love the joyous explosion of sound right out of the dark-ish opening track), Sicily, Boobytrapped, Dreading It, A Thousand Tons, The Heights, Selling you My Heart, Thorn Bird, Parts P.S. You know it's good when 9/15 tracks are the "top", and everything else is still integral to the album.

I don't necessarily regret it because it's largely out of my control, but if I had to pick anything it'd be missing the Chaotic Neutral tour, as I believe it is the only MG tour (post Avalanche?) where he skipped over SK (other than OLP + MG).

Nice thread topic. Good to see some fresh discussion ideas in here! Looking at my MGB list, it becomes quite apparent that either my favorite MGB album is AOB or I have a lot of favorites on there that never get played, but I think it's the former ;). I've also noticed that it's a lot harder for me to pin down MG songs, because most songs from new releases get played on their respective tours. MGB: - Workers Sing A Song Of Mass Production. The first time he performed it live was in my hometown in ~2005 or so during the 2nd leg of the WLRRR tour. He played it a few other times on that tour but I sorely miss it. - Man of Action. Super hard hitting riffs + soaring vocals, but I understand that he's mentioned that he doesn't have the range required to perform it in the original key. - Tripoli w/ full band. This was the first song I'd ever heard from MGB back in 2002 or so, and the gateway into MG becoming my favorite artist during my youth. - Sort of a Protest Song w/ full band - Change of Seasons. This was amazing on the recent solo acoustic tour, so I'd love to hear it its full power with a band. MG: - House of Smoke & Mirrors. I still remember "booting up" Avalanche on a PC and opening the special features to be greeted by the haunting piano interlude from this song while the album art hangs there. It's too bad I don't have the disc anymore. - Big City Life from the live bootleg, before it got over-produced (IMO) on In A Coma. The live version had some special guitar improv that drove the atmosphere. - She's Got You Where She Wants You. Probably my favorite from SLAS oddly enough. Love the guitar work on this one and the melancholic sweetness of it all. - The Boy Come Home - Set Me On Fire

Oh man, that youtube clip is great. I've never seen/heard a live version of Under the Influence, nor did I know that there was an alternate verse (bridge?).

From a commercial standpoint, the entire "We all live downtown, we all die downtown, step over ourselves." is killer for getting into people's heads. Concept wise, yes that 4 minutes would lose a ton of flavour from the original but if they can make that one section work it can do well. Good luck though! (it always seems shittier to the people who've heard the original first obviously, but to people who have never heard it thus far it could be effective)

I apologize if this has been answered already, but after noticing that MapleMusic accepts PayPal I set up an account but wasn't able to confirm my bank account until the 2nd stock of vinyl's had sold out. Could there still be a possibility of a 3rd stock or am I completely out of luck? :S

In no order. Radiohead Death Cab for Cutie Matthew Good (Band) Dream Theater Arcade Fire The Killers Jimmy Eat World Mae Rush Steve Vai

Randomly, I just heard an unreleased demo called "The Lone Gunman". Not sure if anyone else has caught this yet?

Anabelle. It's still one of my favourite songs of his ever. Haha, I can just put it on repeat and listen away and the world disappears. All Together vs. Big City Life (no correlation)

Good Girls Go Bad -Cobra Starship. The vocal style in the verses is also terribly similar to that of 3OH!3 (whatever that song is). Hanging in the corner with 5 best friends?

Born to Kill. (The epic dissonant strings and overall chaos just kills me). Battle of Numbered Songs: Invasion 1 vs. Flashdance II

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story for DS. hahaha, just brilliant. (+ Scribblenauts)

Workers no doubt. ;) (I remember him playing it for the first time live in Saskatoon a few years back which was just stellar) Failing the Rorschach Test vs. Under The Influence

Well, I'm generally a very musical person so this band really appeals to me, so when I say amazing in a musical aspect I'm not lying. ;)

Progressive Rock: Dream Theater! Amaaaaaziiiing is all I can say about them. (And yes I know, their newer stuff is so METAL AND BLAND AND EMOTIONLESS YOU CAN'T STAND IT!" This is not entirely true. ;) Edit: 222!!! Not exactly a very cool number, but I like it!