blood_ame wroteYes that usually works but it is something you have to force yourself to do. I wonder if Daniel or Aaron (or anyone else on the forum that thinks as highly of Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice as they do) had to force themselves or whether it "made sense" to them straight away.
I listen to everything at least five times before I judge it, and Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice clicked for me on the fourth listen.
When I listen to music, I try to grasp everything- that's why I enjoy music that feeds off of and has to do with human emotions and such things.
All the advice I can give you is to listen to it some more, because it really is the top album of the year, in more then one opinion.
And try to think only about the music, let your mind be pummeled by it.
Enjoy listening.