The Similitude of a Dream - One Year Later!

[KevShmev]

One year old today!



Personally, I think it is one of Neal's four best albums (along with the first three Transatlantic records).  Some days, I could argue for it being the best; it is that good.

What say you, DTF?

[Zydar]

Great album, but I can't compare it with his other stuff since I barely know his discography.

It's the best of all the albums MP has been involved with since leaving DT though. The Ways Of A Fool is awesome.

[SoundscapeMN]

saw it live once, that was enough.

[axeman90210]

Still absolutely love this album. Up there with ? and the Transatlantic albums for me.

[Crow]

can we please keep these kind of threads to the band's respective thread. there's no need to clutter up the general music section with multiple threads for the same band. it's already bad enough that we have multiple sons of apollo threads.

[KevShmev]

can we please keep these kind of threads to the band's respective thread. there's no need to clutter up the general music section with multiple threads for the same band. it's already bad enough that we have multiple sons of apollo threads.

Hey look, we have a new forum cop!!

Besides:
a) the main Neal thread is on page 5 now (does it bother you to have a thread about the same artist on both pages 1 and 5?)
b) I did not start that other Neal thread, thus I cannot add a poll to it
c) new threads often get more replies than bumping old ones (unless there is recent news)
d) technically, the Neal Morse Band does not have its own thread

[King Postwhore]

Parama,  this is the music section and you don't have to click on this thread.

I checked one of his best. I played it so much that I had to put it away for a little bit it's one of those you just love it so much they can play it everyday.

[Crow]

can we please keep these kind of threads to the band's respective thread. there's no need to clutter up the general music section with multiple threads for the same band. it's already bad enough that we have multiple sons of apollo threads.

Hey look, we have a new forum cop!!

Besides:
a) the main Neal thread is on page 5 now (does it bother you to have a thread about the same artist on both pages 1 and 5?)
b) I did not start that other Neal thread, thus I cannot add a poll to it
c) new threads often get more replies than bumping old ones (unless there is recent news)
d) technically, the Neal Morse Band does not have its own thread

stickied topic: A-Z index of band threads: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=27964.0
scroll down to N
Neal Morse is right there
just because you can't start a poll doesn't mean you can't just, pose the same question without a poll
guess we should start a separate thread for every single devin townsend "group",  brb

[KevShmev]

Parama,  this is the music section and you don't have to click on this thread.

Also, Parama, your posts are off topic.

Would you like to discuss the topic at hand?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

We have plenty of threads occasionally for specific topics relating to a band or group. I don't see why it's an issue; it's hardly like the whole front page is clogged with duplicates.

On topic, I haven't heard the album and thus have nothing to contribute.

[DTA]

Among his solo works, it’s definitely his best. I’d even rank it higher than both FC albums. But pure nostalgia keeps me from being able to place it above SMPT:e or Bridge Across Forever.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Can't vote as I've yet to really explore the band's discography.  But I did buy this album based on Portnoy's hype job and my love for Tranatlantic...and I have to say this album is incredible. My favorite part of the album is the run from The Mask until the end, amazing!

[bosk1]

can we please keep these kind of threads to the band's respective thread. there's no need to clutter up the general music section with multiple threads for the same band. it's already bad enough that we have multiple sons of apollo threads.

Hey look, we have a new forum cop!!

Besides:
a) the main Neal thread is on page 5 now (does it bother you to have a thread about the same artist on both pages 1 and 5?)
b) I did not start that other Neal thread, thus I cannot add a poll to it
c) new threads often get more replies than bumping old ones (unless there is recent news)
d) technically, the Neal Morse Band does not have its own thread

Objection sustained as to (d).  That's a dumb argument.  But, you know, lists and all, so there are going to be some "filler" choices.

But overruled as to (a) - (c). 

The thread is hereby permitted to stand. 


Anyhow, I voted option #3.  I like it a lot.  But it is long and has some low points for me that still just kind of blend together and are just there.  Not that there is anything bad about them.  It could just be that I haven't REALLY dove into this one as deep as some others.  But to me, Testimony, One, and Sola, as well as the first three TA albums are among my favorite music EVER, and really hard to knock off the pedestal.  I would probably put this one right behind those, along with The Grand Experiment, and then Momentum.  But it is REALLY close to cracking that group.  Hit me on the right day, and I might put it up there and vote option #2.  I know, for me, there are at the very least a few songs on here that I would consider some of his best (with probably Way of a Feel and Man in the Iron Cage being some of my favorite Neal songs ever). 

[ronnibran]

I chose "not among the best but still pretty darn good".  As one who pretty much knows every Neal solo album by heart, that is my personal rating.  Even as a new album, I did listen to it quite a bit when it was first released, but the newness wore off somewhat fast and I don't re-listen to it very often (and when I do I listen to a few songs, not the whole album).  Some of the older albums like T1 and T2 I could easily still just sit through the whole thing and enjoy like they were new.

My current thoughts put T1, T2, and Momentum before it.  It's behind those, maybe on par with One and Sola.  And, I'd say I like the TA albums SMPTe, Bridge, and Kaleidoscope more than Similitude also (not that they're solo projects).

All that said, it definitely wasn't a disappointment of an album, maybe I just had too much other good stuff to listen to that I didn't give it proper attention when it needed it (IIRC, at the time I was still obsessed with "The Art of Loss" by Redemption, which I still listen to quite regularly).

[KevShmev]

For me, even though they both follow the formula he has used many times already, the strength of the Overture and Broken Sky / Long Day (Reprise) really help this album's cause.  Neither is a favorite of mine from this record, but had the Overture been just another overture and Neal had done all of the vocals on Broken Sky / Long Day (Reprise), the overall album would have suffered a tad, but he delivered a great overture this time, and Eric singing most of the latter half of the final track really gave it a different feel.

On the flip side, the Overture and the final track on The Whirlwind are why I can't call that his best album.  Both gone on and on too long.  But man oh man, tracks 2-11 from The Whirlwind is just an astonishing run of songs.

[hefdaddy42]

Among his best for me.

[Evermind]

This album was on my list to check out and I kinda... just forgot to check it out.

[KevShmev]

This album was on my list to check out and I kinda... just forgot to check it out.

Consider this thread your reminder. 

[Mladen]

Option three it is for me as well. This is a complex album just jam packed with the goods. It features plenty of great themes, choruses, and the overall vibe is pure Neal Morse bliss. Two reasons that prevent it from being one of his best works is that double albums almost always have their share of skippable songs, and also, the album lacks at least one truly tearjerking, sad moment. I'm thinking Homecoming section in Seeds of gold or Some kind of yesterday in World without end.

[KevShmev]

*cough* Breath of Angels *cough*

[Mladen]

It's not QUITE there. 

[Tick]

It's ranks with Question Mark, and The Whirwind which are my favs. Awesome album, and PHENOMENAL  live show. One of the best I've ever seen.

[kaos2900]

This is probably by second favorite album of all time behind SFAM. The music and message really impacted me at an important time of my life. Going to be hard for the NMB to top this.

[gzarruk]

I voted option 3. I really like the album and I think it's a great piece of work from Neal and the band. However, some songs just don't feel right to me, specially most of disc 2 (I love Slave to Your Mind, though). Some things sound like the classic Neal Morse formula over and over again, and I just can't stand Bill's vocals, no matter how hard I try. Also, I think this also suffers from MP's lack of diversity over the years, and, imo, he overplayed a bit, specially with the splash cymbals.

Other than that, this album is quite amazing and one of my favorite releases of 2016

[DT2003]

I voted his best as I still listen to this on a very regular basis and it’s pronably one of my top 5 albums of all time. There isn’t a thing about this album that I don’t love!!!

[Dave_Manchester]

It's a very good album, but Morse's work is so consistently strong (and dare I say, a bit 'samey', though in a good way), that I find his discography very hard to rank. There's no major gap in how much I enjoy his albums, except for perhaps Lifeline (though even that has perhaps his best song on it).

I'd probably put it in the group of his best 3 albums, along with T2 and Momentum. But honestly, on any given day I can find myself thinking any one of his albums is his finest.

[The Letter M]

I voted "Among his best" a few days ago, but I just haven't had a chance to respond to this thread quite yet, until tonight...

After a year of this album, even though I haven't listened to it in a couple of months (as I've kind of rotated out any Neal Morse music from my listening), it has left a greatly positive impact on my musical memory, and I can definitely say it's one of Neal's top 5 albums, up there with the likes of The Whirlwind, Snow, and One (not sure what the fifth would be for me...hmm, maybe ? or perhaps Testimony 2, which has "Seeds Of Gold" and that's worth a lot on its own).

I think what elevates this album above some of Neal's other works is the collaborative efforts strewn across the album, between musical, lyrical, and vocal contributions from nearly the whole band, which give it a huge depth and width that some of his works don't quite fill. The multiple vocals remind me of some of the best parts about Transatlantic and Flying Colors, while injecting the musical styles and influences of the likes of Eric and Bill to create something a bit different from Neal's other two bands.

It wasn't quite an instant classic for me, but having had a year since then, I can definitely agree it's a classic now, and probably one I could recommend to new fans of Neal's if they're looking for something more recent. I'd say TSOAD succeeds where, in the eyes of some fans, Snow and Testimony fail (in some regards), and even though I *love* Snow, there are moments on TSOAD where I feel like the band outshine that album.

It can be a bit cliche to ask "where could they possibly go next?!" after a new album comes out, but after TSOAD, I truly have to wonder what they could accomplish as a band! After nearly two decades of writing prog albums, having the Neal Morse Band come into Neal's life as a unique identity really helped him freshen up his music, and I'm anxiously eager to see what the third NMB album will be like.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Yep, it is going to be a tough act to follow, but Neal has shown that he has an endless supply of songs and great melodies, and I can see Eric and Bill having plenty to bring to the table again.  Should be exciting to see what they do next. 

[The Curious Orange]

I loved Neal's stuff with SB and Transatlantic, and I thought One was a great album. However, I've stopped listening to his stuff since.

Similitude was the first NM album I've listened to since ?, and to be honest, it didn't do much for me. Sure, when it's good it's excellent, but yet again it's just too long. It's just not strong enough or varied enough to sustain a double CD - he should have kept the stronger stuff for a single CD.

It didn't re-ignite my love for NM, and I've not listened to it since those first initial spins. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to listen to Bridge Across Forever again...

[Stadler]

I got into Neal relatively late in the game; I got a used copy of Testimony for a $1 in Philly, but didn't get another solo album until The Grand Experiment came out, at which time I listened to Testimony 2, then started from the beginning and worked up to the present.   I've thought before that it couldn't get any better, and yet it seemed to.  Generally speaking, each album was better than the one that came before (though Lifeline and One have REALLY resonated the best over time for me) and so I've learned to not write him off.  For me, TSOAD was everything Mike said it was going to be, and it took on an even greater meaning live.  That was a transcendent experience for me.  (I only add that last part to be fair in that the live experience may be coloring my lingering opinion of the album).

I still listen to TSOAD today, and with new releases that's rare.  More often than not, it's one or two listens and off to the shelf to make way for the next new thing.   

[nattmorker]

I don't know much of NM music, I have only listened to TSOAD and TGE, but I really love both albums. TSOAD is already one of my favorite albums, and it got even better when I listened it live, it was a sublime experience.

When the album came out I listened because MP was playing on it and I still was a big fan of MP (I stop following MP because of the SoA drama). However, with every listen, MP's playing became the least exciting and interesting part of the album. Bill and Eric's singing and playing were the things that elevate the status of this album for me.

After hearing this album I got TGE and I loved it aswell, so I'm really looking forward to the next album, can't wait!

Now I'm unsure whether to give a chance to the NM solo albums, I love TA but not so much the Spock's Beard with Neal albums.

[kaos2900]

I got into Neal relatively late in the game; I got a used copy of Testimony for a $1 in Philly, but didn't get another solo album until The Grand Experiment came out, at which time I listened to Testimony 2, then started from the beginning and worked up to the present.   I've thought before that it couldn't get any better, and yet it seemed to.  Generally speaking, each album was better than the one that came before (though Lifeline and One have REALLY resonated the best over time for me) and so I've learned to not write him off.  For me, TSOAD was everything Mike said it was going to be, and it took on an even greater meaning live.  That was a transcendent experience for me.  (I only add that last part to be fair in that the live experience may be coloring my lingering opinion of the album).

I still listen to TSOAD today, and with new releases that's rare.  More often than not, it's one or two listens and off to the shelf to make way for the next new thing.

I agree on the live impact of this album. Being front and center was easily the best concert experience for me.

[bosk1]

I don't know much of NM music, I have only listened to TSOAD and TGE, but I really love both albums. TSOAD is already one of my favorite albums, and it got even better when I listened it live, it was a sublime experience.

When the album came out I listened because MP was playing on it and I still was a big fan of MP (I stop following MP because of the SoA drama). However, with every listen, MP's playing became the least exciting and interesting part of the album. Bill and Eric's singing and playing were the things that elevate the status of this album for me.

After hearing this album I got TGE and I loved it aswell, so I'm really looking forward to the next album, can't wait!

Now I'm unsure whether to give a chance to the NM solo albums, I love TA but not so much the Spock's Beard with Neal albums.

I like seeing the love for The Grant Experiment.  It seems like that album has been all but forgotten.  But I think it is a VERY good album, and I still enjoy it quite a bit. 

If you are thinking about checking out some of Neal's prior solo stuff, I would recommend ? and One as good starting points.  I personally don't care for ? very much, but I think most Neal fans feel that he really hit his stride during that stretch of albums.  To me, ? is less dense and is easier to digest.  It is also a bit shorter, as I recall.  One is a very dense 70+ minutes of music.  It is my all-time favorite album (which is kind of odd, given that I tend to gravitate more toward metal), and there is a LOT to like about it.

[gzarruk]

I don't know much of NM music, I have only listened to TSOAD and TGE, but I really love both albums. TSOAD is already one of my favorite albums, and it got even better when I listened it live, it was a sublime experience.

When the album came out I listened because MP was playing on it and I still was a big fan of MP (I stop following MP because of the SoA drama). However, with every listen, MP's playing became the least exciting and interesting part of the album. Bill and Eric's singing and playing were the things that elevate the status of this album for me.

After hearing this album I got TGE and I loved it aswell, so I'm really looking forward to the next album, can't wait!

Now I'm unsure whether to give a chance to the NM solo albums, I love TA but not so much the Spock's Beard with Neal albums.

I like seeing the love for The Grant Experiment.  It seems like that album has been all but forgotten.  But I think it is a VERY good album, and I still enjoy it quite a bit. 

If you are thinking about checking out some of Neal's prior solo stuff, I would recommend ? and One as good starting points.  I personally don't care for ? very much, but I think most Neal fans feel that he really hit his stride during that stretch of albums.  To me, ? is less dense and is easier to digest.  It is also a bit shorter, as I recall.  One is a very dense 70+ minutes of music.  It is my all-time favorite album (which is kind of odd, given that I tend to gravitate more toward metal), and there is a LOT to like about it.

TGE is a great album, but, to me, Agenda is the worst song ever written by Neal morse

I would recommend checking Sola Scriptura first, that album is fantastic.

[kaos2900]

I don't know much of NM music, I have only listened to TSOAD and TGE, but I really love both albums. TSOAD is already one of my favorite albums, and it got even better when I listened it live, it was a sublime experience.

When the album came out I listened because MP was playing on it and I still was a big fan of MP (I stop following MP because of the SoA drama). However, with every listen, MP's playing became the least exciting and interesting part of the album. Bill and Eric's singing and playing were the things that elevate the status of this album for me.

After hearing this album I got TGE and I loved it aswell, so I'm really looking forward to the next album, can't wait!

Now I'm unsure whether to give a chance to the NM solo albums, I love TA but not so much the Spock's Beard with Neal albums.

I like seeing the love for The Grant Experiment.  It seems like that album has been all but forgotten.  But I think it is a VERY good album, and I still enjoy it quite a bit. 

If you are thinking about checking out some of Neal's prior solo stuff, I would recommend ? and One as good starting points.  I personally don't care for ? very much, but I think most Neal fans feel that he really hit his stride during that stretch of albums.  To me, ? is less dense and is easier to digest.  It is also a bit shorter, as I recall.  One is a very dense 70+ minutes of music.  It is my all-time favorite album (which is kind of odd, given that I tend to gravitate more toward metal), and there is a LOT to like about it.

TGE is a great album, but, to me, Agenda is the worst song ever written by Neal morse

I would recommend checking Sola Scriptura first, that album is fantastic.

I think the winner of the worst Neal Morse song would have to be Leviathan. I actually like Agenda. And The Call is probably my favorite song of theirs.