Review Summary: A great change of direction in need of a little more ambition
As much as I’ve had concerns about Dream Theater’s seeming creative stagnancy in recent years, I can’t really say the same thing about James LaBrie’s solo career. His fourth album is a far cry from the extravagances of his main gig as well as the more melodeath-tinged pop metal of his early 2010s efforts. Beautiful Shade of Grey (As opposed to A Pleasant Shade) is a decidedly scaled back affair with any notions of heaviness stripped away in favor of an acoustic-oriented approach that sits at poppy folk-prog ala Peter Gabriel or David Gilmour’s mellowed out ventures.
The results not only feel organic in themselves but end up addressing some gripes that have been expressed regarding LaBrie’s diminishing range over time. His solo albums have always allowed for stylistic flexibility and natural melodies in contrast to Dream Theater’s more demanding vocal lines and this release doubles down on both fronts. His singing suits the more grounded approach here, sticking to a level range and showing off confidence without overcompensation.
Going along with that, the other musicians don’t slouch and find their own ways to push the dynamic. The guitar playing puts in a pleasant mix of acoustic strumming rhythms and fluid leads, the keyboards fill out the airy vibe, the bass is a solid anchor, and the drums played by LaBrie’s son Chance are a strong backbone without getting too overpowering. You won’t find too many instances of showing off or dips into atmospheric tangents, but the chemistry is quite potent throughout.
This approach also makes for some pretty casual songwriting, making for songs that aren’t mind-blowing but driven by solid laid-back structures. The opening “Devil in Drag” is the best track with its steady pace and back-and-forth hooks. Subsequent tracks don’t quite hit the same high but still find ways to stand out like the borderline saccharine nature of “SuperNova Girl,” the introspection of “Give and Take” and “Sunset Ruin,” or the breezy balladry of “Wildflower” and “Am I Right.” It’d be cool to see the vocal layer interlude of “Conscience Calling” expanded beyond its forty-eight seconds and the cover of “Ramble On” is an interesting edition.
While I find myself wishing that Beautiful Shade of Grey had a bit more ambition behind it, I’m into the change of direction that it offers. This more mellow approach to alt-prog suits LaBrie’s current talents quite well and the backing musicians also put in plenty of competent performances. Much like the lineup that played on 2010’s Static Impulse and 2013’s Impermanent Resonance, it’s easy to imagine them gelling even more and putting out an even stronger follow-up. Between this and other members’ recent solo successes, I can’t help but wonder if Dream Theater’s creativity might be better displayed in its individual parts than the larger whole.
