Spock's Beard

[KevShmev]

I was thinking, Neal Morse is pretty much the Kevin Moore of Spock's Beard.  After Snow was completed, he just up and left.  

That is the only similarity, and each left for completely different reasons, so calling that a similarity is even a bit of a stretch.  Kevin Moore and Neal Morse are probably about as different as two musicians can get, and as such, saying, "Neal Morse is pretty much the Kevin Moore of Spock's Beard," doesn't really make any sense.

What is the general sentiment toward Morse from SB fans?

I would say that pretty much the entire fan base would still acknowledge what a great songwriter he was and is, but a fair amount simply don't like the direction he went in following his departure from the band.

[Dr. DTVT]

It was just pointed out to me that I was singing in the lab, and had been singing for over 12 minutes - something I've never really done.  What was I singing?  The Doorway.  Spock's Beard just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I've been on the biggest Spock's Beard kick of my life the last 4 months.

*appriciates SB*

[KevShmev]

It was just pointed out to me that I was singing in the lab, and had been singing for over 12 minutes - something I've never really done.  What was I singing?  The Doorway.  Spock's Beard just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I've been on the biggest Spock's Beard kick of my life the last 4 months.

*appriciates SB*

Awesome.

Favorite songs?  Albums?

[ytserush]

I woke up with "Go The Way You Go" in my head this morning followed by "The Light."

Can never figure out why stuff like this happens.


Yesterday, it was the album version of Queensryche's "Someone Else."

[aurorablind]

From SB's Facebook:

"Whether it's Chanukah, Christmas, Ramadan or just life itself you celebrate, if you're a Spock's Beard fan, it's X-MAS time for everyone! So, stay tuned for an eXciting announcement that is sure to bring some eXtremely eXuberant holiday cheer to one very lucky SB fan. And, no. It's not a private gig at your house. Ho Ho Ho SPrOCK! \m/...\m"

[Dr. DTVT]

Later they said it was nothing as big as a DVD or tour...probably a one off show or a festival.

[toro]

Ok guys, which one should I get: V or Snow?

[The Letter M]

From SB's Facebook:

"Whether it's Chanukah, Christmas, Ramadan or just life itself you celebrate, if you're a Spock's Beard fan, it's X-MAS time for everyone! So, stay tuned for an eXciting announcement that is sure to bring some eXtremely eXuberant holiday cheer to one very lucky SB fan. And, no. It's not a private gig at your house. Ho Ho Ho SPrOCK! \m/...\m"

Well, whether or not it's related to that, Dave has recently posted on the SB Forums that they plan on releasing the Downey Show from the X Tour they did last fall on DVD and CD sometime this Spring. So that's definitely something to look forward to!

Ok guys, which one should I get: V or Snow?

It's really a matter of preference - do you like concept albums/rock operas? Does the idea of a narrative plot based on a singular protagonist intrigue you? If so, definitely get Snow - 2 CDs of great music, varying feels and sounds and styles, and you get some awesome solos, grooves, songs, ballads, and amazing performances from the WHOLE band!
V has some great moments as well, from the longer epics, to the four shorter songs in the middle (I looooove "Thoughts Part II"). Eventually, just get BOTH and never look back. You won't regret it.

-Marc.

[Ħ]

Starting to get into Spock's Beard because of TA and NM...

First Impressions of albums...
Loving "The Light" but the two nonepics are eh
"Beware of Darkness" is forgettable except for "Time Has Come"
"The Kindness of Strangers" is consistently strong throughout

So far I love the epics, but I am disappointed with the fact that so many songs feel filler.  I guess I have been spoiled by DT.

[Dr. DTVT]

Ok guys, which one should I get: V or Snow?

V is my favorite Spock's Beard album.  Snow might be 6th on a good day.  I say V hands down.  "At the End of the Day" and "The Great Nothing" are amazing epics, and "Thoughts, Pt. II" and "All On a Sunday" are two of my favorite shorter SB songs.

[KevShmev]

Hard to go wrong with either V or Snow; both are tremendous.

BrotherH, I think you need to give "The Doorway" another whirl or two.  That is undoubtedly one of their best songs, and if you like epics, it seems strange not to love that one to death, while liking the vastly inferior "Time Has Come" so much.  Not that "Time Has Come" isn't good.  It is.  But it can't touch most of their best epics, and I think most SB fans would agree with that.

Honestly, I don't think there is any "filler"/average songs on the first three SB albums.  Day for Night is probably the only Neal-era SB record with multiple throwaway tracks.

[Ħ]

Will do because you are probably right.  Although, the album I have been spinning quite a bit is The Light.  In my opinion, while The Light and The Water are pretty much masterpieces, Go the Way You Go is just ok, and On the Edge is really kind of a typical boring rock song.  So I would say those songs qualify for me as "filler."  But I'll listen to Beware of Darkness again tonight, and I'll be paying attention to The Doorway.

[KevShmev]

"Go the Way You Go" took a while to really grow on me, but it eventually did, and I love it now.  Not as much as those other two, but nonetheless.  "The Light" is their best song ever, IMO.  "The Water" has that silly FU section, which is like a slight stain in the middle of an otherwise stellar song.  The final sections of that song are just amazing; what a climax!

[Ħ]

The final sections of that song are just amazing; what a climax!

The part called "Reach For The Sky" is one of the greatest moments of a song I've ever heard.  Up there with DT's "Another World."

After we've gone
After the moon rises
And the red flags fly

Gonna reach for the sky
Gonna hold my head up high <--------------This part forces my body into a marvelous shudder
Gonna reach for the sky

[The Letter M]

Spock's Beard's member's solo albums - what are your favorites?
While in Spock's Beard, every member except Dave has released at LEAST one solo album. Nick/NDV has Karma, Alan Morse has 4 O'Clock & Hysteria, Ryo Okumoto has Coming Through, and Neal made his self-titled debut and It's Not Too Late. Of course, as one might suspect, many of them played on each other's albums, so there's a lot of cross-pollination between these guys, but each album is definitely different and really shows the strengths (and sometimes weaknesses) of each member (even though while in the band, they contribute to a greater whole).

For those of you guys who have these albums, what's your take on them? I actually quite enjoy NDV's album, and it's a great pre-cursor for what would become Spock's Beard's current sound. It's got some great songs on it, and some things that are very different for Nick, or at least wouldn't be expect (like his cover of "Come What May", which I really love).

I also quite enjoy Alan's album, which I am currently listening to right now! He REALLY shines on this release, and it is for him as to John Petrucci's Suspended Animation - both great guitar-driven albums that show a bit of a different side than what you'd hear from their parent-band. It's a great jazzy-fusiony adventure, but it can feel a bit same-y if you aren't really into every song on the album.

I'm probably going to spin Ryo's album next, then probably Neal's two solo albums, but I just wanted to see if anyone else had thoughts on these albums!

-Marc.

[Dr. DTVT]

I only have NDV's Karma, and I quite enjoy it.

[ytserush]

Spock's Beard's member's solo albums - what are your favorites?
While in Spock's Beard, every member except Dave has released at LEAST one solo album. Nick/NDV has Karma, Alan Morse has 4 O'Clock & Hysteria, Ryo Okumoto has Coming Through, and Neal made his self-titled debut and It's Not Too Late. Of course, as one might suspect, many of them played on each other's albums, so there's a lot of cross-pollination between these guys, but each album is definitely different and really shows the strengths (and sometimes weaknesses) of each member (even though while in the band, they contribute to a greater whole).

For those of you guys who have these albums, what's your take on them? I actually quite enjoy NDV's album, and it's a great pre-cursor for what would become Spock's Beard's current sound. It's got some great songs on it, and some things that are very different for Nick, or at least wouldn't be expect (like his cover of "Come What May", which I really love).

I also quite enjoy Alan's album, which I am currently listening to right now! He REALLY shines on this release, and it is for him as to John Petrucci's Suspended Animation - both great guitar-driven albums that show a bit of a different side than what you'd hear from their parent-band. It's a great jazzy-fusiony adventure, but it can feel a bit same-y if you aren't really into every song on the album.

I'm probably going to spin Ryo's album next, then probably Neal's two solo albums, but I just wanted to see if anyone else had thoughts on these albums!

-Marc.

I'm going to eliminate Neal's solo albums from this partly because there are more than one and partly because I don't really think I have a favorite.

So with that in mind:

Alan (I really love this one.)
Ryo (He can really play)
Nick (I still like this but it's not as special in a post Neal Spock's Beard world)

[hefdaddy42]

"Go the Way You Go" took a while to really grow on me, but it eventually did, and I love it now.  Not as much as those other two, but nonetheless.  "The Light" is their best song ever, IMO.  "The Water" has that silly FU section, which is like a slight stain in the middle of an otherwise stellar song.  The final sections of that song are just amazing; what a climax!

Go The Way You Go is an awesome song.

[pain of occupation]

so alan's solo album is instrumental?! i should check it out. what about the other solo album you mentioned...any instrumental?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

In my Grade 11 computers class on Friday, we had to do presentations on ourself. One girl had her favourite bands in the presentation. The first one was Spock's Beard.

[Jamesman42]

"Thoughts, Pt. II"

My favorite SB song, although I don't know their whole discog very well.

Also, Wind At My Back FTW

[hefdaddy42]

Wind At My Back FTW

Yeah, no doubt.  I absolutely love that song, and I'm determined to find a way to work it into a set some time before I die lol.

[BRGM]

I feel a bit interested in these guys, can you guys recommend me any specific album? Not sure where to start

[Ultimetalhead]

"Go the Way You Go" took a while to really grow on me, but it eventually did, and I love it now.  Not as much as those other two, but nonetheless.  "The Light" is their best song ever, IMO.  "The Water" has that silly FU section, which is like a slight stain in the middle of an otherwise stellar song.  The final sections of that song are just amazing; what a climax!

The FU/I'm Sorry bit is the best part of the song. 

[The Letter M]

I feel a bit interested in these guys, can you guys recommend me any specific album? Not sure where to start

I'd say go with either their debut album, The Light, or V, their aptly titled fifth album. Both are usually ranked highest in many lists of SB albums. However, most people usually suggest only albums from their Neal-Era, which only covers their first 6 albums. I would be so bold as to also suggest the band's latest offering, their aptly titled tenth album X, which was released in 2010, and made many Prog Fans' and Critics' Top 10 lists of 2010. It's easily their best effort since V and Snow, the last two albums the band made with Neal Morse.

I'd say, if you like X, don't be afraid to check out their prior 3 albums of the Nick-Era, which are all pretty good. I prefer Octane (Special Edition) over the other two, but some fans would say otherwise. They're all a bit of mixed-bags, to be honest, so it just depends on what you like.

-Marc.

[pain of occupation]

so alan's solo album is instrumental?! i should check it out. what about the other solo album you mentioned...any instrumental?

no help!? s'pose i can be less lazy and wiki or google it.

[The Letter M]

so alan's solo album is instrumental?! i should check it out. what about the other solo album you mentioned...any instrumental?

no help!? s'pose i can be less lazy and wiki or google it.

Yes, Alan Morse's solo album is all instrumental. Ryo's album has instrumental bits, but there are songs with vocals on it. NDV's album has vocals, as does Neal's, so if you're looking for a non-vocal album, Alan's is the one to get.

-Marc.

[ytserush]

"Go the Way You Go" took a while to really grow on me, but it eventually did, and I love it now.  Not as much as those other two, but nonetheless.  "The Light" is their best song ever, IMO.  "The Water" has that silly FU section, which is like a slight stain in the middle of an otherwise stellar song.  The final sections of that song are just amazing; what a climax!

The FU/I'm Sorry bit is the best part of the song. 

Seriously.... The song doesn't make any sense to me without it.

[InstrumentalFiasco]

After seeing Yellow Matter Custard I have started looking into them and I gave V a listen. AMAZING! I don't like Neal's Vocals that much.

[Dr. DTVT]

After seeing Yellow Matter Custard I have started looking into them and I gave V a listen. AMAZING! I don't like Neal's Vocals that much.

Yes, I find it amazing you don't like Neal's vocals much either. 

Try Nick era SB then.  Start with the new album X, or Octane.  Make sure its the special edition of Octane though, Follow Me To Sleep is awesome and worth the extra buck.

[KevShmev]

Okay, a year later, "Jaws of Heaven" is still magnificent in every way possible.  It'd definitely be in my SB top 10.  And maybe even top 5.  Yes, it is that great.

[Mladen]

Yeah, it aged incredibly for me as well. I still love the album so much.      

[The Letter M]

Gotta agree. I found myself listening to X the other day after a couple weeks of nothing but Neal Morse stuff (SB, TA and solo), so it was a nice change-but-not-quite-change in my listening. It's still very fresh and new to my ears, and every track is amazing.

I have the Special/Limited Edition from the website, as well as the regular edition, which has a few tracks that are longer on it than the LE (due to time constraints including the "Their Names Escape Me"). Because of this, my iPod version of X includes the longest versions of each track possible, as well as the LE-only track. I need to burn this to CD but it's about 10-15 seconds over 80 minutes, which is okay, I just don't have a program that overburns (I used to have Nero, but that was on an older computer).

-Marc.

[King Postwhore]

Okay, a year later, "Jaws of Heaven" is still magnificent in every way possible.  It'd definitely be in my SB top 10.  And maybe even top 5.  Yes, it is that great.

It's a song that I love to play over and over.  You know how a song obsession goes.

[j]

Okay, a year later, "Jaws of Heaven" is still magnificent in every way possible.  It'd definitely be in my SB top 10.  And maybe even top 5.  Yes, it is that great.

Man it's weird that you posted this today.  Just yesterday I finally got around to listening to X for the first time and REALLY enjoyed that song.  Easily the standout track of the album, and yeah, one of the best SB tunes ever.

-J