Neal Morse - Neal Morse

"Neal Morse knows what it takes to make good pop music."

There are times when I think pop is synonymous with CRAP. But that's usually only the "popular" pop -- pop is not inherently bad. Neal Morse, the GODLY master behind Spock's Beard, does pop-rock very well. The "poppier" songs from Spock's Beard's own albums are an indication of what this disc is like, except with musicianship that is toned-down (yet elegant nonetheless) -- it's worth noting that Morse plays almost all of the instruments on here himself. This disc is replete with infectious hooks that you'll be humming for days. Fun songs like "Nowhere Fast" and "Lost Cause" are balanced out by the stuff like the pretty ballad "Emma" and "Landslide." There's considerable variety here.

Oh, you're obstinate and you hate pop? You like Neal Morse for his PROG and ONLY his prog. Then get this for the final track, "A Whole Nother Trip," the twenty minute epic. It's not up to par with the dazzling epics produced by the Beard, but that's part of its charm. It's different...not bad at all, just different. It's like a Beard epic "lite" version.

As long as you don't expect Spock's Beard epics and virtuosity with this album, you should enjoy it.

Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness

"Contemporary prog rock treasure."

Neal Morse -- the mastermind behind Spock's Beard -- is one of those rare, special people who has it all: a great ear for melody, a dazzling ability to compose great progressive rock songs, a great voice, a knack for writing memorable lyrics, and to top it all off he plays a mean guitar and he's a terrific pianist. With Beware of Darkness, him and the other members of Spock's Beard continue to create melodic and musically rich progressive rock.

I must say I'm uncomfortable talking about Spock's Beard in the context of a review because I can't possibly convey how much I like them. All I can really do is try and describe what they sound like. The band blends supra-catchy melodies with complex musicianship to derive a unique sound. While melody seems very important to the new wave of progressive music, Spock's Beard's pop quality sets them apart. I don't want to suggest that the pop-influence makes them sound pedestrian...rather, it enriches their sound.

Compared to the band's debut (The Light), which was fairly experimental, this album is more melodic and adopts shorter songs. There's lots of diversity too. The spiraling melodies of "Walking on the Wind" build to an emotional finale. "Thoughts" is purely quirky with its wacky instrumental interplay and offbeat vocals. "The Doorway" is one of the band's most cherished songs, with a killer piano opening, singable melodies, and a compelling acoustic interlude. "Waste Away" is a short rocker that is impossibly catchy, and "Chataqua" is a short acoustic number in the vein of "Mood for a Day". I think the album's masterpiece is the tragically underrated 16-minute epic "Time Has Come", with its slow-building melodic developments and incredibly complex production job (care of insanely talented Kevin Gilbert, RIP).

I hope you love 'em as much as I do.

Spock's Beard - Don't Try This At Home

"Good disc overall, but not enough Beard action (too short)."

Spock's Beard's catchy, bombastic and challenging form of progressive rock translates very well to the live medium, because the band plays with incredible energy onstage. Neal Morse, the head honcho behind the band, is a brilliant entertainer, and this album ineffably captures and preserves the band's topnotch live performance. Sound quality is impeccable...about as good as a live album can get. I think there were overdubs tho', for what it's worth.

If only the song selection weren't so limited. You get a pretty good variety, just not enough. Songs come only from the Day for Night and Kindness of Strangers albums. All the songs are good, sure, but when the album only clocks in at around 50 minutes, it leaves you wanting more. The live renditions of this disc's tracks are mostly predictable reiterations of the studio versions, but these guys put on a great show that keeps things interesting. (A lot of the vocal parts sound better with the live versions as well.) It's really something hearing "Gibberish" performed live, with those complex vocal sections.

It's kind of disappointing, but all in all it's a good disc.

Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers

"Spock's Beard rules contemporary prog rock."


I must admit I am a complete Spock's Beard sycophant. I love everything they have done. The Kindness of Strangers was the first album I bought by the Beard, and it honestly changed my life. I wondered, "Can music really be so perfect?" I love the way this band brings together Beatles-like pop sensibilities with epic compositions and stunning musicianship.
While some criticize Spock's Beard for a supposed lack of originality, being derivative of classic prog, I think this criticism fails in an important regard. The reality is that there is nothing like them. Obviously, they are strongly influenced by the progressive greats of the past, but they achieve a remarkably effective synthesis of 70s prog rock and modern sensibilities. The result is a sound that is appealingly familiar and excitingly fresh all at once.

This being my first Beard album, the opening track, "The Good Don't Last", was the first Beard song I'd ever heard. I was shocked. The musicianship is quirky and melodic and classic, but what really got to me was how catchy the song was. Neal Morse, the main songwriter, has unmatched ears for melody. I was singing along before the song had ended. No doubt the most hook-laden 10-minute song ever. (Or so I say!)

There's other highlights too. "June" is a mellow acoustic song with beautiful vocals; "Harms Way" is dynamic, somewhat jazzy, and charged with some emotional parts; "Flow" is epic, stately, intensely performed, and catchy. It's all outstanding, really. Perfect, even.

Spock's Beard - The Light

One word comes to mind...

...Masterpiece.

That's what The Light is...and masterpiece of prog rock. Spock's Beard plays challenging, beautiful, rockin', and melodious music. They are, in my humble opinion, the best prog band of recent years. Neal Morse (songwriter) is obviously influenced by 70s progressive rock bands, and he deftly wields these influences and straddles the line between modern sensibilities and 70s creativity. The result is awesome.

Song structures seem barely cohesive at first, but subsequent spins reveal that each track is an excellently thought-out song with recurring themes that are reorchestrated for maximum emotional effect. This album only has four tracks (not including the two minute live bonus track at the end), but it clocks in at about an hour. That's the way it should be! Unlike much prog, Spock's Beard's songs are not ridiculously 'self-indulgent'...Morse is concerned with the most important aspect of prog and pop: writing great songs. And he does this admirably. Prog bands with traditional influences haven't sounded this fresh in years. Lyrics get pretty weird at times (Mystic Voodoo Love Dance?) but strangely, it all works and it's all weirdly charming.

Prog fans with an open mind with probably enjoy The Light. It's like the Close To The Edge of the 90s.

Spock's Beard - V

"V stars for Spock's Beard's V."

Combine several 70s prog influences (Genesis, Yes, etc.), a bit of pop, and Neal Morse's own distinct style and you get Spock's Beard, one of the best progressive rock bands since the glory days of the aforementioned bands. The Beard sound very fresh and original with each and every release. With V, their novel sound has worn off (at least for me), but this is compensated for by the bands remarkable musicianship. To me, their best album up until this point has been Beware Of Darkness, and I can safely say that V gives that superlative record a run for its money.

V includes 2 prog epics (16 and 27 minutes) which are the highlights of the album. Each song is brilliant, and the different tones and tempos flow together more nicely than those in, say, The Light (which, though well coherently composed, seems a bit more 'random' -- remember Senior Valasco??). "The Great Nothing", the album's grand finale, is one of their most interesting compositions, weaving a gamut of intricate sonic textures beautifully. I would say that this is one of my favorite of the band's many excellent songs. While "The Great Nothing"'s length means it takes a while to sink in, the other epic, "At The End Of The Day", is the most accessible prog epic I've ever heard. And while both songs are long, they never break down into monotonous plodding. The lengthy and complex instrumental passages are wonderful, and the lyrical portions - which are strange at times - are concurrently catchy and thought-provoking.

Balancing out the epics are four shorter songs for 'normal' people, although I think the prog-meisters and SB fans can still appreciate them. "Thoughts Part II" is probably the best of these, as it stands as the most 'proggy' of the shorter tunes. "All On A Sunday" is a great pop song drenched with mellotron, while "Revelations" - with its heavy moments - is an engaging listen that makes me think of Soundgarden, Neal Morse style. "Goodbye To Yesterday" is an amazing Beard Ballad.

Musically, I'd say the band is at its peak. They are all underrated, of course, but they are indisputably gods. I especially love the additional instruments they occasionally use (like french horn and cello). These add reams of value to the music when they are used, and they never seem like needless enhancements.

This album is absolutely excellent. Back in the days of AMAZON.com reviews, I would have liked to hack their system and give this album 50 stars!

Spock's Beard - Day for Night

"Basically the same Beard."

I think it is interesting that people say Spock's Beard tried to go more commercial with this album. Not sure what evidence enables people to ascribe that intent to the band. Now, the Beard has always involved a very identifiable pop element to their music -- big choruses, catchy hooks. I don't find the music any simpler than on previous records, or any more "commercial" than previous albums, but it's true the songs are generally shorter (lengthy tracks are commonly associated with prog, ya know).

Still, there is the amazing "The Healing Colors of Sound" epic suite that's over 20-minutes long. It features the Beard's familiar epic style...songs within a song, wrapped together by recurring themes. The individual parts of this suite are very strong, be it the rockin' hooks of "Mommy Comes Back", the sad balladry "Lay It Down", or the inspiring "Healing Colors of Sound" section, which never fails to put a smile on my face. Spock's Beard's music makes me feel good about life.
Maybe some people perceive this album as "poppier" because has an ordinary pop ballad, "Can't Get It Wrong" and a fairly simple upbeat cut "Skin". But the rest doesn't seem like much of a digression from the band's style. "Crack the Big Sky" is big song rife with ear-catching instrumental melodies, a huge singable chorus, and little tempo changes to keep you on your toes. (Hand claps too!) "The Distance to the Sun" is a beautiful ballad that proves Neal Morse's unmatched talent of tugging at your emotions. "Gibberish" is the requisite "zany track," with funky vocal counterpoints a la Gentle Giant and a guitar riff that's best described as crazy! The title track that kicks off the album is good fun too, including the omnipresent Beardian (new word) hooks and savory, monster Rickenbacker bass lines. I like this whole album!

Like all the Beard's work, Day for Night is fun, addictive progressive music that I never grow tired of. My only problem is that they divided up the "Healing Colors of Sound" suite into eight separate tracks. Eck. I hate that (I like to play lots of my albums on "shuffle" or "random"). But if that's my only complaint, I think Spock's Beard is doing okay.

Transatlantic - SMPTe

"Grade A prog rock!"

Being a moderate-to-HUGE fan of all the musicians involved (from Spock's Beard, Flower Kings, Dream Theater, and Marillion), I knew this was something I had to pick up. I was absolutely blown away! This entire album simply oozes excellent musicianship out of every pore.

SMPTe is a fine homage to the progressive greats of the past -- you know 'em, Genesis, Yes, ELP...all those folks. Indeed, it does sound a _little_ derivative in parts... but the songs are so excitingly arranged and performed that it's less deleterious than it could be. Despite Mike Portnoy's (drummer, Dream Theater), there's absolutely no metal present in this album. He proves that he's a very versatile drummer capable of playing any kind of song. This is definitely rock... however, because of Neal Morse (head honcho from Spock's Beard), there's a pop element present in vocal melodies unusually catchy and "light."

Of course, this album is bound to offend some people. There are those that think only the 70s prog bands are prog, and therefore anything coming afterward is not prog and is automatically awful. If that's you, don't buy this. There's also those that think prog shouldn't have a trace of pop melodic craftsmanship or charm. With TransAtlantic's pop-like vocal melodies and harmonies, you'll also hate this, so stay away.

This is some of the best progressive rock I've heard in years...a solid digression from "try-hard" prog that just doesn't quite cut it. The 30 minute masterpiece "All Of The Above" alone warrants purchasing this album. It's one of the best prog epics in decades! Recurring musical themes, topnotch musicianship, great melodies and arrangements. Also, don't be fooled by the fact that there are only five songs - this CD clocks in at 77 minutes. Just like the good ol' days, huh?

Another merit of this album that isn't so obvious is that it may lead you to some great bands. For example if you're a Flower Kings fan picking this up because of Stolt's involvement, you may go on to explore Neal Morse's band Spock's Beard. There's all kinds of opportunities here! Buy this...it's a little more old-fashioned than the contemporary progressive music scene, but the music is great, and that's what matters.