Author Topic: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread  (Read 539628 times)

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Offline DT2003

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1050 on: September 20, 2012, 10:11:02 AM »
I love Neal's music (absolutely nothing mediocre about it to me) and I love what Neal is about so I will continue to support him with everything he does.

Offline Nekov

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1051 on: September 20, 2012, 12:49:14 PM »
Just finished my first listen of momentum. I like it so far but I believe I'll like it even more with further listens. Just to cut it a bit I put (?) on since it had been a long time since the last time I heard it. Still my favorite Neal Morse album, it's just so good
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1052 on: September 26, 2012, 09:03:50 AM »
This album is REALLY growing on me.
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1053 on: September 26, 2012, 09:07:14 AM »
This album is REALLY growing on me.

Ditto. I've been giving it regular spins over the last week and the songs just keep getting better. The first three are all great, and the epic is amazing, as Neal's epics usually are. "Weathering Sky" is good for what it is, another DFN-kind of song, or maybe more like "All On A Sunday", and "Freak" is just freaky, and unique, and just something a bit more original-sounding for Neal.

-Marc.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1054 on: September 26, 2012, 09:14:13 AM »
The epic definitely has some cool moments, but isn't really gelling for me as a whole.  That may change, but I've felt that way about the longer epics on the previous two albums as well.  Again, definitely some cool moments, but the point I think he is making in the song has been made much better, both musically and lyrically, in other songs, so it just doesn't feel like a particularly strong, coherent piece to me.  At the other end of the album, the only other immediate turnoff was the title song.  It just felt too much like a rehash of Lifeline, due in part to the VERY Lifeline-esque beginning.  But having gotten past that part, it's a pretty good song that definitely stands on its own.  But its the other songs in between those two that are really all just clicking for me.  I really am starting to like them all quite a bit.
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1055 on: September 26, 2012, 10:13:48 AM »
The epic definitely has some cool moments, but isn't really gelling for me as a whole.  That may change, but I've felt that way about the longer epics on the previous two albums as well.  Again, definitely some cool moments, but the point I think he is making in the song has been made much better, both musically and lyrically, in other songs, so it just doesn't feel like a particularly strong, coherent piece to me.  At the other end of the album, the only other immediate turnoff was the title song.  It just felt too much like a rehash of Lifeline, due in part to the VERY Lifeline-esque beginning.  But having gotten past that part, it's a pretty good song that definitely stands on its own.  But its the other songs in between those two that are really all just clicking for me.  I really am starting to like them all quite a bit.

I sort of got the "Lifeline" vibe from "Momentum", but without the slow middle-section that Neal and co. decided to cut, it definitely allows it to stand out a bit more from "Lifeline". Having heard that cut section on the DVD, I'm really REALLY glad that they cut that part out - it would've been too predictable and even more like "Lifeline"!

-Marc.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1056 on: September 26, 2012, 11:20:59 AM »
The epic definitely has some cool moments, but isn't really gelling for me as a whole.  That may change, but I've felt that way about the longer epics on the previous two albums as well.  Again, definitely some cool moments, but the point I think he is making in the song has been made much better, both musically and lyrically, in other songs, so it just doesn't feel like a particularly strong, coherent piece to me.  At the other end of the album, the only other immediate turnoff was the title song.  It just felt too much like a rehash of Lifeline, due in part to the VERY Lifeline-esque beginning.  But having gotten past that part, it's a pretty good song that definitely stands on its own.  But its the other songs in between those two that are really all just clicking for me.  I really am starting to like them all quite a bit.


heh, the epic is really the only song I decided to keep on my iPod, already deleted the others as they really REALLY bore me.    Other than "Lifeline" and his first two pop records, this is my least favorite NM solo album.  I really am starting to get burned out on his music, I think.

Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1057 on: September 26, 2012, 11:35:48 AM »
Not sure whether or not this will have any impact on you, but the turning point for me was watching the accompanying making-of DVD.  Even feeling that Neal's music had become formulaic and a bit predictable, there is still ALWAYS a lot to take in and digest.  The DVD helped me quickly pick up on a lot of the nuance and complexity that really makes the album more unique than it sounded on the first couple of listens and helped me more quickly appreciate the songs.  And that is a good thing because I probably wouldn't have given the album the chance for that to have happened just through more active repeat listens.
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1058 on: September 26, 2012, 11:51:28 AM »
Not sure whether or not this will have any impact on you, but the turning point for me was watching the accompanying making-of DVD.  Even feeling that Neal's music had become formulaic and a bit predictable, there is still ALWAYS a lot to take in and digest.  The DVD helped me quickly pick up on a lot of the nuance and complexity that really makes the album more unique than it sounded on the first couple of listens and helped me more quickly appreciate the songs.  And that is a good thing because I probably wouldn't have given the album the chance for that to have happened just through more active repeat listens.

Precisely my feelings. The Making-Of DVDs for Momentum, Testimony 2, and The Whirlwind (and even Flying Colors) gave me a LOT more insight, and thus, appreciation into the music on those albums. Neal has a great way of explaining his music and his thoughts (pun intended), allowing me to look and listen to the music in a way that I would have otherwise never done. It's also great that Neal has released Making-Of videos for Testimony and One through his Inner Circle Fan Club subscription service, as they are also great looks into the making of those two amazing albums of his. I'd KILL for Making-Of DVDs for ? and Sola Scriptura, though.

-Marc.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1059 on: September 26, 2012, 11:59:50 AM »
I just bought the digital download, those DVDs rarely have any impact on whether or not I enjoy a given piece of music. 


It's cool, I like Neal and all, but he's way too prolific and it's starting to show a bit, I think.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1060 on: September 26, 2012, 12:03:28 PM »
I just bought the digital download, those DVDs rarely have any impact on whether or not I enjoy a given piece of music. 


It's cool, I like Neal and all, but he's way too prolific and it's starting to show a bit, I think.

I think 2012 just had a lot of saturation in terms of Neal releases - Flying Colors, Cover 2 Cover, Momentum... had Flying Colors come out LAST YEAR, instead of over a year after the album was recorded, this year might not have seemed to filled with Neal stuff. Also, Neal has been touring with two different bands this year as well, so he's been pretty busy, and then there's the possibility of Transatlantic entering the studio near year's end, so Neal's been on a roll.

-Marc.
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Offline Ħ

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1061 on: September 26, 2012, 12:06:24 PM »
Momentum is pretty cool. It's basically equivalent to lifeline in my book. Wouldn't listen to it endlessly but it's not bad.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1062 on: September 26, 2012, 12:32:01 PM »
I just bought the digital download, those DVDs rarely have any impact on whether or not I enjoy a given piece of music. 


It's cool, I like Neal and all, but he's way too prolific and it's starting to show a bit, I think.

I think 2012 just had a lot of saturation in terms of Neal releases - Flying Colors, Cover 2 Cover, Momentum... had Flying Colors come out LAST YEAR, instead of over a year after the album was recorded, this year might not have seemed to filled with Neal stuff. Also, Neal has been touring with two different bands this year as well, so he's been pretty busy, and then there's the possibility of Transatlantic entering the studio near year's end, so Neal's been on a roll.

-Marc.


The problem for me isn't even really one of not liking his music.  I appreciate the music, but I think the problem is what you wrote here - too much stuff out there in the market by Neal and what happens -at least for me- is I get kind of bored with it after a while.


Dream Theater releases an album every couple of years and really you almost never know what you're going to get, they do have a certain sound and style, but a lot of their albums sound quite a bit different from the previous one.  Neal, on the other hand, his music has a little bit of a "samey" thing happening with it.  I hear quite a few recycled riffs and melodies in his songs, and even lyrical phrases are starting to repeat themselves.....


Offline Ħ

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1063 on: September 26, 2012, 12:33:02 PM »
World Without End vs. Seeds of Gold, guys?
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1064 on: September 26, 2012, 12:33:18 PM »
With all of that said, though, I still very much appreciate me some Neal Morse.  And I'm definitely looking forward to more Transatlantic


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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1065 on: September 26, 2012, 12:34:02 PM »
World Without End vs. Seeds of Gold, guys?


I think I prefer "World Without End" actually.


Solid tune  :hat

Offline Ħ

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1066 on: September 26, 2012, 12:39:04 PM »
What's funny is that the final line of WWE (it'll never pass a-waaaaaaaaaaay) leading into the solo sounds straight out of Dancing with Eternal Glory ("after all the storm will pass you by" -> solo).
« Last Edit: September 26, 2012, 12:45:46 PM by Ħ »
"All great works are prepared in the desert, including the redemption of the world. The precursors, the followers, the Master Himself, all obeyed or have to obey one and the same law. Prophets, apostles, preachers, martyrs, pioneers of knowledge, inspired artists in every art, ordinary men and the Man-God, all pay tribute to loneliness, to the life of silence, to the night." - A. G. Sertillanges

Offline KevShmev

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1067 on: September 26, 2012, 12:42:20 PM »
The "samey" aspect of Neal's style, combined with how prolific he is, definitely makes a lot of music have that "been there, done that" feeling to it.  I finally got the new CD, and while it is good, it definitely strikes me as being pretty similar to Lifeline from a quality standpoint: good overall, but so many other CDs that are much better, and all pretty much in the same vein, I am not sure how much I will play this.  Smoke and Mirrors is probably the one song that sounds new and fresh, making it the one song that is likely to stick with me the longest.  The epic is good, but again, he has so many epics now that why dedicate 33 minutes to listening to World Without End when I can listen to far better epics like Seeds of Gold, The Creation, The Separated Man, etc.?

But I haven't been in a symphonic prog rock mood lately, so maybe this will grow on me a lot more when I listen to it once I get back in that musical mood.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1068 on: September 26, 2012, 12:46:20 PM »
I hear quite a few recycled riffs and melodies in his songs, and even lyrical phrases are starting to repeat themselves.....

I'll tell you, I've been hearing recycled melodies/riffs/phrases since One!!! They've been everywhere in his albums since then, I'd hear a bit of SB, a bit from Neal's first two solo albums, a bit from other Neal's earlier solo albums in his later ones.

It just happens...a lot, and since the release of ?, I've come to expect similarities in his albums, and often find it fun to try and point them out, like a game! You know that moment when you hear a melody and are stumped - "Where have I heard that before?!", then you go and listen to nearly EVERYTHING Neal has done in the past, just to try and find out where that melody is from.

One example I had was when I was first listening to the ? album, and "Outside Looking In" came on, and I thought..."I've heard this before". Turns out that opening guitar line is nearly the same guitar line in "Something Blue" from his 2nd solo album!

As for SOG VS WWE, I'd have to give it to SOG, but WWE is quickly growing on me. It's got some great parts, and I'm glad Mike talked Neal out of opening the epic with a piano intro, a la "The Doorway" and "Seeds Of Gold".

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Offline KevShmev

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1069 on: September 26, 2012, 12:50:42 PM »
I am sure I am not the only one who was like :omg: when Neal said on the T2 Making-Of that he tries to do something different on every album and not repeat himself.  I love his music, but let's be serious. :lol :lol

Given that he is a solo artist and isn't "tied down" to working with specific band members, I'd love to see him mix it up by working on his next solo album with all musicians he has never worked with before.  Mike Portnoy and Randy George always do a great job with their playing and writing suggestions, but I gotta think that that contributes a bit to the samey feel his work has.  Let him work with all different writers and players and he might spit out something more fresh.  Just my thought.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1070 on: September 26, 2012, 01:01:58 PM »
I am sure I am not the only one who was like :omg: when Neal said on the T2 Making-Of that he tries to do something different on every album and not repeat himself.  I love his music, but let's be serious. :lol :lol

Given that he is a solo artist and isn't "tied down" to working with specific band members, I'd love to see him mix it up by working on his next solo album with all musicians he has never worked with before.  Mike Portnoy and Randy George always do a great job with their playing and writing suggestions, but I gotta think that that contributes a bit to the samey feel his work has.  Let him work with all different writers and players and he might spit out something more fresh.  Just my thought.

I feel like Flying Colors (the band and album) offered him that output, to work in an environment where he wasn't the lead writer/vocalist/player/etc. etc. He's also been playing live with a new band, and in fact, in the last 4 years alone, he's played with essentially 5 different live bands - his old European Tour band, Transatlantic, The Testimony 2 Tour band (which is almost like his old Testimony 1 Tour band), his new solo tour band, and Flying Colors. So he's had a lot of different people to play with (although in more than half of those instances, his drummer has been Mike Portnoy).

I do agree, though, that it'd be nice to hear him with some more players in the studio, but he's got a great working relationship with Mike and Randy, and I'd like to think of them as a whole band now, and not just Neal with 2 guest artists that happen to keep appearing on his solo albums. I also like the fact that Neal included two of his new bandmates on Momentum, as well as Paul Gilbert!


And just a heads up, for anyone interested, after I finish my Genesis Survivor, I will start a Neal Morse Survivor a few weeks after that (after some short DT-Related Survivors), so anyone who wants to participate should gear up for that! I'll be including ALL of Neal's solo studio releases, from Neal Morse and It's Not Too Late, all the way up to Momentum - 9 albums total, 118 songs... it'll be a long one!

-Marc.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1071 on: September 26, 2012, 01:15:56 PM »
I am sure I am not the only one who was like :omg: when Neal said on the T2 Making-Of that he tries to do something different on every album and not repeat himself.  I love his music, but let's be serious. :lol :lol

Given that he is a solo artist and isn't "tied down" to working with specific band members, I'd love to see him mix it up by working on his next solo album with all musicians he has never worked with before.  Mike Portnoy and Randy George always do a great job with their playing and writing suggestions, but I gotta think that that contributes a bit to the samey feel his work has.  Let him work with all different writers and players and he might spit out something more fresh.  Just my thought.


 :tup

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1072 on: September 26, 2012, 01:17:40 PM »
I hear quite a few recycled riffs and melodies in his songs, and even lyrical phrases are starting to repeat themselves.....



It just happens...a lot, and since the release of ?,

-Marc.


I would love it if Neal would go another album of that caliber.  That is still my favorite solo album of his, head and shoulders above the rest of them.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1073 on: September 26, 2012, 01:34:43 PM »
Of note, I'm just glad Neal has done away with the predictable Spanish-guitar section of his songs, which, AFAIK and IIRC, he hasn't done since Sola Scriptura. He even did it on his first solo album in "A Whole 'Nother Trip - C) The Man Who Would Be King"! Seems like that's a Neal Morse-ism he's out-grown.

-Marc.
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1074 on: September 26, 2012, 01:38:40 PM »
I agree that was a worn out device. 

Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1075 on: September 26, 2012, 01:46:21 PM »
You know that moment when you hear a melody and are stumped - "Where have I heard that before?!", then you go and listen to nearly EVERYTHING Neal has done in the past, just to try and find out where that melody is from.

Um...actually, no, I don't know that moment.  :lol  Can't say I've ever done that.

Of note, I'm just glad Neal has done away with the predictable Spanish-guitar section of his songs, which, AFAIK and IIRC, he hasn't done since Sola Scriptura. He even did it on his first solo album in "A Whole 'Nother Trip - C) The Man Who Would Be King"! Seems like that's a Neal Morse-ism he's out-grown.

-Marc.

I really liked those sections on Testimony and Sola.
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1076 on: September 26, 2012, 02:02:59 PM »
I really liked those sections on Testimony and Sola.


Oh me too, don't get me wrong, but it started to seem too predictable. Like, when listening to a new Neal Morse album, I'd go "Okay, when's the Spanish-Guitar part coming up?!" :rollin

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Offline ronnibran

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1077 on: September 26, 2012, 08:11:37 PM »
Well, the idea of "momentum" isn't about changing directions...  Maybe his next feat will be different.  Personally, I was blindsided by Sola Scriptura, that album totally took me off guard in a good way.  I think if he feels led in another direction, he has the capability of doing something amazing.  For this album, I don't think he necessarily felt inclined to put effort into doing something drastically different.

That said (and I've probably already mentioned here), Momentum to me is another Lifeline.  Not meaning that in a bad way, it's an album with an awesome long epic that I can listen to over and over and probably never get sick of.  And some shorter songs that aren't that important to me.  While as full albums they aren't amongst my favorites, So Many Roads and World Without End are probably my two favorite songs of all time.


Offline darkshade

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1078 on: September 27, 2012, 09:17:53 AM »
I remember on the Making-of DVD that Neal mentioned that he was on the fence about moving his music in a new direction, but when he was inspired to write Momentum, he said something like he had to keep going and just keep writing. Maybe he'll move in a new direction next album. I hope he does because it's one reason I don't get the couple of Neal-era SB albums I'm missing, or his first 2 solo albums because it's just too much of the same.

In regards to the new album, and the epic in particular, it's grown on me as well, and the epic is amazing. After 7 or 8 listens all the parts started to come together and I actually get excited to throw WWE on now. That middle heavy riff section is really cool. There are a lot of new things going on in that song that are kind of new for Neal, so I'll give him that.

Offline faemir

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1079 on: September 27, 2012, 07:54:41 PM »
It definitely feels like the epic's of the last two have been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the songs - I wonder why.

In any case, I look forward to a change in style if he decides to.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1080 on: September 27, 2012, 10:01:05 PM »
It definitely feels like the epic's of the last two have been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the songs - I wonder why.

In any case, I look forward to a change in style if he decides to.

We may have to wait until 2015 to find out anyway. If plans go as predicted, Transatlantic will go into the studio sometime this winter or spring of next year, release a studio album in the late summer or fall of 2013, then tour through the fall/winter or winter/spring. After all of that, Neal may want to take some time to rest, and subsequently not record again until winter of 2014, for a 2015 release. I mean, we did wait 3 years between Lifeline and Testimony 2 when a Transatlantic album and tour came between them, so I think we can expect a similar time between Momentum and Neal's 10th solo studio album.

-Marc.
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Offline darkshade

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1081 on: September 28, 2012, 10:28:21 AM »
It definitely feels like the epic's of the last two have been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the songs - I wonder why.

I would disagree about that in regards to Testimony 2. I always enjoyed the main disc more than Seeds.

Offline Nick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1082 on: September 28, 2012, 10:29:51 AM »
I loved Seeds, but the epic on the new album isn't nearly as good as the other tracks.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1083 on: September 28, 2012, 10:36:44 AM »
It definitely feels like the epic's of the last two have been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the songs - I wonder why.

I would disagree about that in regards to Testimony 2. I always enjoyed the main disc more than Seeds.

Well, comparing nearly 80 minutes of music to 26 seems a bit unfair, but I'll say that the first T2 disc is absolutely flawless, and, as great as Seeds of Gold is, Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise is still the best individual song from either T2 disc. 

Offline faemir

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #1084 on: September 28, 2012, 10:39:19 AM »
Oh sorry, I forgot about T2 - I was talking Lifeline and Momentum, I didn't really listen to T2 (T1 never grabbed me). Even so, T2 is different because it's a continuation of previous works that are structurally different.