Clichés have a way of being overused, but some of them are so darn accurate that it's hard not to come back to them again and again. One such cliché is, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." That cliché applies to politics and economics, and it most certainly applies to music; James LaBrie's third solo project, Elements of Persuasion, is a perfect example. This 2005 release worships, cherishes and adores rock's past without being totally enslaved by it, and like a lot of the neo-soulsters who have managed to link the '60s and '70s with the '90s and 2000s (Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, among others), LaBrie has no problem drawing on different eras for inspiration. But the Dream Theater vocalist has nothing to do with R&B; his turf is hard rock, metal and progressive rock, and Elements of Persuasion is an album with both pre-Nevermind and post-Nevermind components. There is no getting around the abundance of '70s and '80s influences that assert themselves on this disc -- influences ranging from Ronnie James Dio, Judas Priest and Queensrÿche to the elaborate progressive rock of Yes, Kansas and Rush. But instead of being totally retro, Elements of Persuasion also draws on the chug-chug riffs and downtuned guitars of alternative rock metal, grunge and post-grunge; this is a CD that can make you think of Geddy Lee or Rob Halford one minute, and Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Incubus or Powerman 5000 the next (which isn't unlike R. Kelly showing us what the Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye have in common with Snoop Dogg and the Notorious B.I.G.). This ambitious effort is slightly uneven; some of LaBrie's ideas work better than others. But overall, Elements of Persuasion is a pleasing, well-crafted demonstration of how a rocker can benefit creatively from the Baby Boomer generation as well as its Gen-X offspring. ~ Alex Henderson
Personnel: James LaBrie (vocals, background vocals); James LaBrie; Bryan Beller (bass instrument, bass guitar); Matt Guillory (guitar, piano, keyboards); Marco Sfogli (guitar); Mike Mangini (drums).
Good Stuff!! I don't have LaBrie's first solo album yet, but a friend burned this one for me and then I bought it for myself. I really like this a lot. Being a big fan of DT, I have always appreciated LaBrie's talent, which can sometimes be overshadowed by the sheer virtuosity of Petrucci, Myung, Ruddess and even Portnoy. But it is clear that he is a vital part of the glue that holds DT together, and an excellent songwriter in his own right.
The songs are very DT-ish at times, but more along the lines of their harder, more straightforward riffing. But he does a splendid job of weaving in melodies and other effects that give the material that etherial feel.
Great album overall. Submitted by dcampbell (East Stroudsburg, PA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
Great work There is no need to compare this CD with DT, it is James LaBrie´s and it´s a very good solo album. The guitarrist is great, I cannot say the same about the drummer and the bass guitar player, but if you buy it you will not be dissapointed, you will hear very good music with James as vocalist. Submitted by frailejon87 (Caracas, Venezuela) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Elements of DT James Labrie's solo effort sounds like a bite-size DT album. The hitherto unknown guitarist does an excellent job in delivering powerful hooks and lamenting melodies when he needs to. However, I find it hard to marry James' lack of experimentation to his position as a member of DT. Having said that I love the album and it has been playing in my car since I bought it. Submitted by crypxic (Singapore) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
one of the best If you enjoyed mullmuzzler 1 and 2.
This album is better than the two of those combined.
By far his best side project, a *must have* for any progressive rock listener.
Submitted by progrockusa69 (crossville, TN, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
A Brilliant Masterpiece This album in itself is truly amazing. The musicianship and songwriting is phenominal from start to finish. It's an "epic" modern prog-metal album. I think on this album, James Labrie clearly expresses artisticly, the essesence of his soul. AWESOME!!!! Submitted by Brian-Electriched-Quiroz (Dallas, TX, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Good Stuff!!
Great work
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