Author Topic: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread  (Read 539652 times)

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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #315 on: May 07, 2011, 08:08:55 PM »
So Many Roads is my favorite epic of his, even above anything with Transatlantic.  Since Lifeline came out, it's pretty much been my theme song.  But I like Seeds of Gold about equally with his other epics (Stranger, Great Nothing, etc).

"So Many Roads" is pretty good, if a bit lengthy. I'd say it's definitely Top 5 and it's right there with his other biographical epic, "The Great Nothing", tied for 5th (behind "Seeds Of Gold", "Duel With The Devil" and "Stranger In Your Soul"). Neal knows how to write amazing 20-30 minute epics!

I think "So Many Roads" definitely saved Lifeline for me, and it's a great way to climax the album and then close with the soaring "Fly High". The title track is pretty good too, but over-all I felt the tracklist of the album was very SB-ish, particularly like V - open with an epic, climax with a multi-movement epic, and toss a few shorter songs in between. I think I enjoyed the covers a bit more than the shorter songs between the epics, but then again, I love it when Mike and Neal do covers of ANYTHING - they know SO much music together, they could probably record/perform covers for the rest of their lives and be happy!

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Offline Nick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #316 on: May 07, 2011, 08:59:57 PM »
About to send off an email to Neal's PR guy in hopes of an interview, wish me luck!

Edit: As long as schedules can match up this will be happening. :D
« Last Edit: May 07, 2011, 09:28:24 PM by Nick »
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #317 on: May 07, 2011, 09:30:33 PM »
Wait, "The Great Nothing" is biographical?  I thought it was about Kevin Gilbert. ???

Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #318 on: May 08, 2011, 05:37:39 AM »
So Many Roads is awesome. It's super-progressive and has some great moments. I can see why some people may not like it that much, though.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #319 on: May 08, 2011, 08:47:41 AM »
Wait, "The Great Nothing" is biographical?  I thought it was about Kevin Gilbert. ???

Hmmm, maybe it is. I'll have watch The Making Of V again to see what Neal has to say about it but you might be right. Either way, it's a bio-epic song, as is "So Many Roads" in a similar manner. However, "Seeds Of Gold" doesn't seem so inherently biographical, but more philosophical and allegorical like DWTD and SIYS.

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Offline Tick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #320 on: May 09, 2011, 06:59:17 AM »
2 Mondays from today!!! Neal in NYC!!!!
I can't wait for the show! :metal
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Online hefdaddy42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #321 on: May 09, 2011, 01:53:15 PM »
Surprised at the love for So Many Roads, I think it's a chore to get through and one of the low points of Lifeline along with Fly High.
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Offline j

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #322 on: May 09, 2011, 02:33:21 PM »
Surprised at the love for So Many Roads, I think it's a chore to get through and one of the low points of Lifeline along with Fly High.

For realz?  It is a little drawn out, but it, Leviathan, and the title track are the highlights of the album IMO.

-J

Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #323 on: May 09, 2011, 02:52:29 PM »
Children of the Chosen is my favorite, personally.

Offline juice

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #324 on: May 09, 2011, 04:32:06 PM »
I just listened to the Testimony 2 trailer and it sounds like awesome stuff.  It might just be the 2nd Neal Morse album I buy.  First being Sola Scriptura.  :metal

Offline jsem

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #325 on: May 09, 2011, 04:34:01 PM »
I just listened to the Testimony 2 trailer and it sounds like awesome stuff.  It might just be the 2nd Neal Morse album I buy.  First being Sola Scriptura.  :metal
Amirite here (you real fans) when I tell juice to get Testimony first. I dunno, this is a sequel - might be a good idea to listen to the first album first.

Offline juice

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #326 on: May 09, 2011, 04:41:53 PM »
I thought about that too but I don't know.

Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #327 on: May 09, 2011, 04:44:16 PM »
I haven't heard it yet, but I think for continuity reasons he should get T1 first.

Offline bosk1

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #328 on: May 09, 2011, 04:51:07 PM »
Having heard it, I can say having T1 is not necessary since, storywise, T2 does NOT simply pick up where T1 left off.  Musically, there are some neat things that occur, the significance of which will be lost if you haven't heard T1.  For instance, there is a section of the story in T2 where Neal is talking about just doing his own thing and not really worrying about his spiritual life, and the main riff from Prince of the Power of the Air comes in for a few measures, and then transitions back to the original riff in the song.  Although he is much more subtle in the lyrics, the music is very blatantly saying "Satan was clearly in charge of my life at that point in time," but someone who hasn't listened to T1 wouldn't pick up on that.  There are some other moments like that as well.  But even so, I don't think it's necessary to have heard T1 first.  In fact, if he likes what he is hearing on T2, getting that first might be more beneficial because it is more compact.  T1 is very long AND very dense, and it took me a VERY long time to even want to absorb everything that is going on.  If someone gets T2 first and likes it, they will have more of an incentive to get into T1 and will probably have an easier time with it.
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Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #329 on: May 09, 2011, 04:53:00 PM »
Oh. I trust bosk1 when he talks about Neal Morse/Lonestar.

Offline Quadrochosis

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #330 on: May 09, 2011, 07:12:32 PM »
The best song from Lifeline is "Leviathan".

Such a great tune!
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Offline Nick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #331 on: May 09, 2011, 08:22:58 PM »
Leviathan, Lifeline, Children of the Chosen and So Many Roads are ALL fantastic songs.
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Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #332 on: May 09, 2011, 08:38:23 PM »
Oh. I trust bosk1 when he talks about Neal Morse/Lonestar.

You remember he doesn't like ?, right?

Offline Nick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #333 on: May 09, 2011, 08:39:37 PM »
It's possible to not like ??
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Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #334 on: May 09, 2011, 08:56:08 PM »
hey Nick, just go ahead and ban bosk.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #335 on: May 09, 2011, 09:03:31 PM »
I've been listening to Testimony 2 pretty much all weekend and today, but all this talk of Lifeline really has me wanting to listen to it again with fresh and objective years! I will agree, though, that "Lifeline", "Leviathan" and "So Many Roads" are the better tracks on the album!

-Marc.
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Offline unklejman

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #336 on: May 10, 2011, 08:54:08 AM »
I agree with bosk1. Testimony 2 is more like he took a magnifying glass over one area of Testimony. Neal dealing with leaving Spock's Beard and questioning weather the whole God thing was real, and really for him.

Although, I feel that if you are accustomed to long progressive rock music, you should still go ahead with Testimony first. It is an amazing album.  Testimony 2 is really taking a lot of time for me to digest and "get", even though it is shorter. Testimony just clicked right away (Although I first experienced it through the live DVD).

On another note, my wife just bought me One. I've heard bits and pieces before, but after listening to the whole album, wow! I don't think it will de-throne ? as my favorite Neal Morse album, but it's close.

Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #337 on: May 10, 2011, 09:41:25 AM »
^Yeah, I am still undecided as to whether I like ? or One more. I give the edge to One because of The Creation. If we are talking about the version of One with the 3 extra tracks, then One wins.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #338 on: May 10, 2011, 09:45:14 AM »
One is probably my second favorite Neal solo CD behind ?, but I still don't like how he tacked "The Spirit and the Flesh" on and made it the second half of "Help Me."  "Help Me" should have been its own song, instead of tacking some needless reprise on to it and calling it the second half of the song.  "Reunion" is a fantastic closer, however. :tup :tup

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #339 on: May 10, 2011, 10:16:31 AM »
^Yeah, I am still undecided as to whether I like ? or One more. I give the edge to One because of The Creation. If we are talking about the version of One with the 3 extra tracks, then One wins.

^^^This^^^

I love the "restored tracklisting" as I call it, and it's the ONLY way I listen to One, either on my iPod or on my CDs. It's a great album and has long been my favorite Neal Morse solo album, although Testimony 2 is a STRONG contender, with tracks like "Jayda", "The Truth Will Set You Free", and "It's For You" on the main album, and the epic "Seeds Of Gold" on the bonus disc. There is just some awesomely STRONG and EMOTIONAL music on T2, and I hope it comes off that way in the live setting!

As for One, the epics are really strong and some of Neal's best pieces ever, and I love MP's drumming in "Author Of Confusion"! Also, "King Jesus" is just such an uplifting and rocking number, how can you NOT like it?!

-Marc.
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Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #340 on: May 10, 2011, 10:40:19 AM »
Well Marc, I have you to thank for finding out about those tracks. :tup

Offline unklejman

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #341 on: May 10, 2011, 10:49:59 AM »
Wait, what 3 extra tracks. What are you on about?

Gah! And now I find out there is a special edition.... which is only on amazon as an import, hence me ignoring it.   >:(

Offline Nekov

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #342 on: May 10, 2011, 10:54:23 AM »
Just finishing my first listen of the testimony 2. So far I'm liking it. Still have to listen to the 2nd CD
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Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #343 on: May 10, 2011, 11:47:32 AM »
Wait, what 3 extra tracks. What are you on about?

Gah! And now I find out there is a special edition.... which is only on amazon as an import, hence me ignoring it.   >:(

"King Jesus"
"Back to the Garden"
"Nothing to Believe"

Get these tracks now. The restored tracklisting on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_(Neal_Morse_album)

Offline Nekov

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #344 on: May 10, 2011, 12:19:10 PM »
Just finished listening to CD 2. I love Neal!!! I wasn't expecting such a good record since I think Lifeline was a little weak and I didn't really get into Testimony 1. But Neal got it done just right. Plus, I'm very happy to listen to MP again.
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Offline unklejman

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #345 on: May 10, 2011, 12:36:00 PM »
Where would I find them?


"King Jesus"
"Back to the Garden"
"Nothing to Believe"


Get these tracks now. The restored tracklisting on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_(Neal_Morse_album)


Offline Tick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #346 on: May 10, 2011, 02:43:49 PM »
I am digging both discs but "Seeds Of Gold" is blow away! :metal

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Offline Jamesman42

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #347 on: May 10, 2011, 03:55:16 PM »
Where would I find them?


"King Jesus"
"Back to the Garden"
"Nothing to Believe"


Get these tracks now. The restored tracklisting on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_(Neal_Morse_album)


Well, I obtained them with some searching...I guess you'd have to reorder the special edition or check iTunes (shudder) or Amazon to see if they have the tracks.

Offline ronnibran

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #348 on: May 11, 2011, 05:13:15 PM »
Testimony 2 is quickly rising up the Neal Morse album ladder.  Of course it's too early to rate it amongst my favorites, but it is definately really good.  Actually the only solo NM album I don't absolutely love is ?.  Not sure why. . .

My favorite song is probably Jesus Bring Me Home.  What a great tune filled with so much emotion!  Jesus' Blood probably comes in second for songs.  Another of my favorite parts of the album is the Mercy Street reprise in the last track. 

There is not a single track that is weak on the album.  I love all the references to other songs.  There's the obvious ones, like the part from the Water, and stuff from T1, but I love the piano part that plays part of Lifeline, or the part that (I think) is at the end of It's For You and the music refers to Eyes of a Saviour from So Many Roads.  It's bloody brilliant!

Disc 2 is excellent, but since I've had disc one I haven't even been tempted to go back to disc 2 yet.

Offline Nick

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Re: Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread
« Reply #349 on: May 11, 2011, 05:29:40 PM »
As of this moment...

? > One > T2 > Lifeline > T1 > Sola
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