A Change of Seasons
A Change of Seasons is Dream Theater's first EP, released on 19 September 1995 through East West Records. At its heart is a 23-minute title track, recorded at BearTracks Studios in New York. It was first slated for 1992's Images and Words, but the band held it back and re-recorded it. Drummer Mike Portnoy wrote the lyrics about the cycle of life, drawing on personal events including the loss of his mother. The back cover calendar marks 16 November, the day she died. Samples from Dead Poets Society and lines from a 1648 Herrick poem appear, though the film didn't inspire the words.
The rest is live cover songs from a fan club show at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London on 31 January 1995. It also marks Derek Sherinian's first appearance on keyboards with the band. At 57 minutes 30 seconds, it runs longer than many albums, including their first two. The EP label was deliberate, so it wouldn't be taken for the next studio record.
A Change of Seasons: tracklist and credits
5 tracks · 57:34Tracklist
- 1A Change of Seasons: I. The Crimson Sunrise / II. Innocence / III. Carpe Diem / IV. The Darkest of Winters / V. Another World / VI. The Inevitable Summer / VII. The Crimson SunsetLaBrie, Moore, Myung, Petrucci, Portnoy23:09
- 2Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies BleedingElton John and Bernie Taupin10:49
- 3Perfect StrangersBlackmore, Gillan, Glover5:33
- 4The Rover / Achilles Last Stand / The Song Remains the SameJimmy Page and Robert Plant7:29
- 5The Big Medley: In the Flesh? / Carry On Wayward Son / Bohemian Rhapsody / Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin / Cruise Control / Turn It On AgainMercury, Livgren, Morse, Waters, Perry, Banks, Collins, Rutherford10:34
- Produced by
- Dream Theater, David Prater
- Recorded at
- Bear Tracks Recording Studio, Ronnie Scott’s, BearTracks Studios (Suffern, New York)
- Recorded
- 31 January 1995 (live tracks), May 1995
- Mixed by
- Doug Oberkircher, David Prater
- Mixed at
- Bear Tracks Recording Studio
- Engineered by
- Doug Oberkircher, Andrew Scarth
- Labels
- EastWest Records America, EastWest
- Length
- 57:34
Line-up
- John Myung · bass guitar
- John Petrucci · guitar, background vocals
- Mike Portnoy · drums (drum set), vocals
- Derek Sherinian · keyboard, background vocals
- James LaBrie · lead vocals
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 19 September
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The best of 1995
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More on EastWest Records America
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 1995-09-10 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 10 September 1995 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 19 September 1995 | |
| Wikidata | 19 September 1995 | |
| US release | 19 September 1995 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 18 September 1995 | earliest UK or European date |
10 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | AR | EastWest Records America | 075596184229 | other |
| — | XW | Atlantic | 075596184267 | other |
| 1995 | AU | EastWest Records America | 075596184229 | other |
| 10 September 1995 | JP | EastWest Records America | 4988029088543 | original |
| 18 September 1995 | GB | EastWest Records America | 075596184229 | other |
| 19 September 1995 | XE | EastWest Records America | 075596184229 | other |
| 19 September 1995 | US | EastWest Records America | 075596184229 | other |
| 19 September 1995 | US | EastWest | other | |
| 16 February 2018 | XE | EastWest | 8719262005617 | other |
| 20 April 2018 | XE | Music on Vinyl | 8719262006232 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 680×600 | rejected |