Spock's Beard Discography thread

[The Curious Orange]

I liked Oblivion a bit more than most SB fans, and last time I checked, I even liked it better than Brief Nocturnes. A Better Way To Fly is one of the best SB songs ever for me, NM-/NDV- or TL-era.

Agreed, on first listen it's a bloody noise, but give it a few spins and it reveals itself as an amazing album - something genuinely new and different. I love how this sort of music is called "progressive", yet most fans of it don't seem to want any progression - show them something new and they're not interested, they just want the same old thing over and over!
Totally agree about ABWTF - one of my fave SB songs too!

[The Letter M]

Here you are folks: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/features/talking-perspectives-episode-four/

Really enjoyed talking with Ted again, and hopefully you enjoy the sections past that as well.

Thanks for sharing! I listened to most of this as I was going to bed last night, and from what I remember, I was really intrigued by the fact that Ted acknowledged just how much of TOP was written by John Boegehold, and that they tried to course-correct themselves on that front for NF, having songs written by more of the band members this time around, though with John and Stan still helping out. Glad to see Al, Dave, Ryo, and Ted still contributing, and I'll be interested in hearing what they've brought to the album. I always enjoy Ryo's instrumentals, and hearing about Al and Ted doing some acoustic stuff really brings a smile to my face - I love when they incorporate that into their music.

I'm hoping for a more varied album, something less homogenous and a bit more experimental and adventurous! It's a bit sad that Ted never got that bridge he wanted for that one song, eventually relegated to the EP disc, though it would be fun if they revisit it someday for their next album and re-record it with a proggy bridge! I'm wondering just what kept the other songs on the EP from making it to the main album, other than limiting themselves to an hour-long album.

-Marc.

[RoeDent]

Here you are folks: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/features/talking-perspectives-episode-four/

Really enjoyed talking with Ted again, and hopefully you enjoy the sections past that as well.

Really enjoyed listening to this. Great to hear some more detail about the album.

(And not really for this thread, but I went on to listen to the Enchant interview, and I'm really excited to learn that they're getting the InsideOut box set treatment fairly soon. Those are good boxes.)

[Mladen]

I liked Oblivion a bit more than most SB fans, and last time I checked, I even liked it better than Brief Nocturnes. A Better Way To Fly is one of the best SB songs ever for me, NM-/NDV- or TL-era.

Agreed, on first listen it's a bloody noise, but give it a few spins and it reveals itself as an amazing album - something genuinely new and different. I love how this sort of music is called "progressive", yet most fans of it don't seem to want any progression - show them something new and they're not interested, they just want the same old thing over and over!
Totally agree about ABWTF - one of my fave SB songs too!

Count me in as another person that loved A Better way to fly. It's truly an original, different piece. However, there are several songs on that album that tried something new and mostly fell flat. It's not about being different - it's about being different and succeeding with it.

[RoeDent]

A Better Way to Fly is definitely among my favourites on the album. I'm really digging Hell's Not Enough too. I think the only three songs I like but don't really love are Tides of Time, Minion and Get Out While You Can.

[Mladen]

I thought this interview was pretty cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RETaaYOxi1c&t=1420s

The most interesting part was that Neal initially considered Ted as the vocalist for Flying Colors. I feel bad for him just being worked up about working with Neal and then realizing who else is in the group only after being informed that he didn't get picked. I would have been depressed as well. But oh well, Casey is the perfect guy for the band and Ted is in Spock's Beard, so it's a win-win for me.

EDIT: Also, anyone willing to speculate which band he's talking about at 51:55? I'm going with Rush, although it might be a REALLY long shot. 

[Ninjabait]

Okay, so I just listened to To Breathe Another Day (which slipped under my radar somehow?) and it's alright. It's not bad by any means but it doesn't really jump out at me at all outside of the instrumental. I don't regret listening to it but it's not something I would go out of my way to listen to. Also, that video is awful. Like...awful. Eesh.

[The Letter M]

Ryo posted a video on Facebook with the third part of the Noise Floor song documentaries, this time covering the song "One So Wise", which seems to have been written by Stan Ausmus and Ryo. There's some tasty Ryo keyboards in there, and at one point, 24 separate keyboard tracks during the song, which must have been FUN for Rich to mix! Lots of organize and analog sounds, as well, none of those keyboard patches or soundbanks, just real Mellotrons and organs and some such... (I'm not really a keyboard guy, so...).

This one sounds pretty good, and I cannot wait to hear the full song.

Only 15 days until the album drops, and the wait is KILLING me. Spock's Beard is one of my favorite bands so whenever a new album is about to drop, I get antsy waiting for it. In the mean time, I've been giving the Enchant albums some spins to get my head in the Ted-Leonard-Space for when I get to hear him sing new SB tunes!

-Marc.

[Fritzinger]

Ryo posted a video on Facebook with the third part of the Noise Floor song documentaries, this time covering the song "One So Wise", which seems to have been written by Stan Ausmus and Ryo. There's some tasty Ryo keyboards in there, and at one point, 24 separate keyboard tracks during the song, which must have been FUN for Rich to mix! Lots of organize and analog sounds, as well, none of those keyboard patches or soundbanks, just real Mellotrons and organs and some such... (I'm not really a keyboard guy, so...).

This one sounds pretty good, and I cannot wait to hear the full song.

Only 15 days until the album drops, and the wait is KILLING me. Spock's Beard is one of my favorite bands so whenever a new album is about to drop, I get antsy waiting for it. In the mean time, I've been giving the Enchant albums some spins to get my head in the Ted-Leonard-Space for when I get to hear him sing new SB tunes!

-Marc.

To say the least, it's worth the wait. Finishing up my review right now

[MinistroRaven]

Ryo posted a video on Facebook with the third part of the Noise Floor song documentaries, this time covering the song "One So Wise", which seems to have been written by Stan Ausmus and Ryo. There's some tasty Ryo keyboards in there, and at one point, 24 separate keyboard tracks during the song, which must have been FUN for Rich to mix! Lots of organize and analog sounds, as well, none of those keyboard patches or soundbanks, just real Mellotrons and organs and some such... (I'm not really a keyboard guy, so...).

This one sounds pretty good, and I cannot wait to hear the full song.

Only 15 days until the album drops, and the wait is KILLING me. Spock's Beard is one of my favorite bands so whenever a new album is about to drop, I get antsy waiting for it. In the mean time, I've been giving the Enchant albums some spins to get my head in the Ted-Leonard-Space for when I get to hear him sing new SB tunes!

-Marc.

To say the least, it's worth the wait. Finishing up my review right now

Here's your review Fritzinger, I just pucblished today.

https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/noise-floor-latest-album-of-spocks-beard-review-by-friedrich-stenzel

Thanks for stepping up and helping us with this one, you did a great job.

[gzarruk]

Sorry this post isn't related to the new album, but I listened to On a Perfect Day today after a while and, man, I really love that song.

[ytserush]

Sorry this post isn't related to the new album, but I listened to On a Perfect Day today after a while and, man, I really love that song.

To me, That's the album where they finally found their legs after Neil left and it's been great since.

[The Letter M]

Sorry this post isn't related to the new album, but I listened to On a Perfect Day today after a while and, man, I really love that song.

To me, That's the album where they finally found their legs after Neil left and it's been great since.

Young? Peart? Armstrong? 

While I don't ENTIRELY agree, I think SB9 does have some great stuff on it that does focus their sound more so than their first two albums in the Post-Neal Era. Feel Euphoria relied too heavily on Nick's writing and trying to sound TOO different while Octane tried a bit too hard to pull it back in another direction. SB9 does some new and interesting things, but by not playing it TOO safe, they definitely created an album that was varied stylistically, in the same sense as other albums like DFN and TKOS. Not the SAME sounds, but kind of the same variety over-all. I think X definitely hit it out of the park, though. It was a clear progression through those four albums, culminating in a great combination of songs that forms X.

I have HIGH hopes for XV if Ted and the gang get that far after Noise Floor. Maybe in 2024-2025?

-Marc.

[gzarruk]

Sorry this post isn't related to the new album, but I listened to On a Perfect Day today after a while and, man, I really love that song.

To me, That's the album where they finally found their legs after Neal left and it's been great since.

I agree on that, excepting for TOP, which feels a little weird to me.

Btw, does anybody know if Nick has any writing credits on Noise Floor? Or he’s only featured as a session player?

[The Letter M]

https://youtu.be/7jU3Y1v-XNs

"Somebody's Home" is up on the official band YouTube page.

-Marc.

[nobloodyname]

As of three minutes later, it appears to have been taken down

[Fritzinger]

Ryo posted a video on Facebook with the third part of the Noise Floor song documentaries, this time covering the song "One So Wise", which seems to have been written by Stan Ausmus and Ryo. There's some tasty Ryo keyboards in there, and at one point, 24 separate keyboard tracks during the song, which must have been FUN for Rich to mix! Lots of organize and analog sounds, as well, none of those keyboard patches or soundbanks, just real Mellotrons and organs and some such... (I'm not really a keyboard guy, so...).

This one sounds pretty good, and I cannot wait to hear the full song.

Only 15 days until the album drops, and the wait is KILLING me. Spock's Beard is one of my favorite bands so whenever a new album is about to drop, I get antsy waiting for it. In the mean time, I've been giving the Enchant albums some spins to get my head in the Ted-Leonard-Space for when I get to hear him sing new SB tunes!

-Marc.

To say the least, it's worth the wait. Finishing up my review right now

Here's your review Fritzinger, I just pucblished today.

https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/noise-floor-latest-album-of-spocks-beard-review-by-friedrich-stenzel

Thanks for stepping up and helping us with this one, you did a great job.

Thanks! Ryo just contacted me liking my review 


On A Perfect Day was the first song I ever knew by the band, and I still love it to this day. For the rest of the album, I think it would have been even better if they eliminated Is This Love, Wherever you stand and maybe the Slowcrash. Otherwise I like every song on the record.

[The Letter M]

As of three minutes later, it appears to have been taken down

Still shows up in my YouTube history and loads for me just fine...weird.

-Marc.

[nobloodyname]

Maybe it's geolocked or account locked for some reason? Simply states 'this video is not available' for me in Chrome (logged in) and Edge (not logged in).

[kaos2900]

Love both songs that have been officially released and I'm already optimistic that this will be much better than the previous album.

[MinistroRaven]

Ryo posted a video on Facebook with the third part of the Noise Floor song documentaries, this time covering the song "One So Wise", which seems to have been written by Stan Ausmus and Ryo. There's some tasty Ryo keyboards in there, and at one point, 24 separate keyboard tracks during the song, which must have been FUN for Rich to mix! Lots of organize and analog sounds, as well, none of those keyboard patches or soundbanks, just real Mellotrons and organs and some such... (I'm not really a keyboard guy, so...).

This one sounds pretty good, and I cannot wait to hear the full song.

Only 15 days until the album drops, and the wait is KILLING me. Spock's Beard is one of my favorite bands so whenever a new album is about to drop, I get antsy waiting for it. In the mean time, I've been giving the Enchant albums some spins to get my head in the Ted-Leonard-Space for when I get to hear him sing new SB tunes!

-Marc.

To say the least, it's worth the wait. Finishing up my review right now

Here's your review Fritzinger, I just pucblished today.

https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/noise-floor-latest-album-of-spocks-beard-review-by-friedrich-stenzel

Thanks for stepping up and helping us with this one, you did a great job.

Thanks! Ryo just contacted me liking my review 

NICE!!!!

[ariich]

I've given the promo a handful of listens, and I'm digging it. Very melodic and a lot simpler than The Oblivion Particle (which I also liked, but good to change things up).

[devieira73]

Fritzinger, congratulations for this VERY well written review! I'm glad you have such a good opinion on the D'Virgilio era of the band as I do!

[the keyboard wizard]

I've given the promo a handful of listens, and I'm digging it. Very melodic and a lot simpler than The Oblivion Particle (which I also liked, but good to change things up).

I second that and I agree with Fritzinger: their best album since X (which is for me one of their bests).

[gzarruk]

I've given the promo a handful of listens, and I'm digging it. Very melodic and a lot simpler than The Oblivion Particle (which I also liked, but good to change things up).

I second that and I agree with Fritzinger: their best album since X (which is for me one of their bests).

Better than Brief Nocturnes?

[Fritzinger]

Thanks guys for the nice words

I like it better than Brief Nocturnes! But I don't agree that it's that much simpler than Oblivion. But maybe it's the catchier melodies that give that impression...

But now I have freakin study man, I have a huge physiology exam on monday 

[jingle.boy]

New 'Beard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_j1MXXqj1w

[Fritzinger]

I never quite understood what lyric videos are supposed to mean. Well, yeah it's a pretty inexpensive way to put some images under a song for youtube, but i dunno. I'd rather prefer the video of To Breathe Another Day. I think the Submerged video from Brief Nocturnes was also pretty good.

[nobloodyname]

New 'Beard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_j1MXXqj1w

It finally works after the non-start a week or so ago

[KevShmev]

New 'Beard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_j1MXXqj1w

That did about as much for me as the first song that came out a month or so ago.  In other words, not much.

Hoping those songs grow on me and/or that the rest of the album is better.

[Orbert]

I never quite understood what lyric videos are supposed to mean.

I play in a cover band, and I've noticed that vocalists often use lyric videos to learn the songs.  I'm sure it helps to hear the song and see the words at the same time, sort of the modern version of listening to it while reading the lyrics on the record sleeve.

They seem to suffer from the same problem that lyrics at online lyric sites have; people get the words wrong sometimes, and now there are people out there singing the same misheard lyrics, never bothering to learn the right ones.

[RoeDent]

I'd rather prefer the video of To Breathe Another Day.

I honestly never thought I'd see these words in a sentence together. Have you even seen it? It's ridiculously cheesy!

Anyway, on a more serious note: I noticed that Amazon UK now has the release date for Noise Floor as being June 1st, not May 25th, so if you've ordered it there, you've got to wait a week longer than expected. Thankfully I haven't pre-ordered yet, so I shall have to do it the old fashioned way...going to the record shop and picking it up myself.

[Fritzinger]

I'd rather prefer the video of To Breathe Another Day.

I honestly never thought I'd see these words in a sentence together. Have you even seen it? It's ridiculously cheesy!

Anyway, on a more serious note: I noticed that Amazon UK now has the release date for Noise Floor as being June 1st, not May 25th, so if you've ordered it there, you've got to wait a week longer than expected. Thankfully I haven't pre-ordered yet, so I shall have to do it the old fashioned way...going to the record shop and picking it up myself.

Sorry, I forgot to answer, YES I saw it and I don't think it's cheesy, I think it's funny
It‘s low (no?) budget and has a huge "we don't give too many fucks here" stamp on it.

[RoeDent]

4 days until release, and I'm listening to some Spock's to get me in the mood. Listening now to The Kindness of Strangers. I can't remember if it was in this thread or not, but I'm sure we were talking somewhere about favourite Alan Morse solos. I completely forgot to mention Harm's Way. I looove that solo!

[The Letter M]

4 days until release, and I'm listening to some Spock's to get me in the mood. Listening now to The Kindness of Strangers. I can't remember if it was in this thread or not, but I'm sure we were talking somewhere about favourite Alan Morse solos. I completely forgot to mention Harm's Way. I looove that solo!

I definitely agree with the point in that review about Alan Morse being one of the most under-recognized lead guitarists in prog. He's played some incredible solos over the years.

It was yourself, about a month ago, that brought up Al's solos, so yeah, it was in this very thread.

Hard to believe it is four days away, I am so excited! I haven't been this pumped for a new album since TSOAD by The Neal Morse Band. I hope it lives up to the greatness of other recent SB albums!

-Marc.