Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

[hefdaddy42]

I couldn't really get into Solia Gratia.  It just didn't work for me.

But Innocence & Danger is fantastic.

[Kwyjibo]

I think I&D isn't bad, in fact it's pretty good, but I like Sola Gratia better.

[hefdaddy42]

I think I&D isn't bad, in fact it's pretty good, but I like Sola Gratia better.

I've heard that from other people too.

[Stadler]

It's interesting, I have both Sola Gratia and I&D and have not listened to either yet. Could not tell you why. Well, I have been leaning into really heavier music lately, I guess. That might be it, I really don't know. It seems as I get older, the heavier my tastes have been getting. I am getting into stuff that I never thought I ever would and it has opened a door to so much. Prog has sort of slipped by the wayside for now.

I am curious what you think of I&D.  I know for me it has legs like no album in a LONG time. It's probably my favorite NM/NMB album now, and yesterday I listened to it back to back with Senjutsu and it held it's own.

I know this wasn't directed to me, but I'll offer my thoughts.  Both of them are great - I&D is contending for Album of the Year for me - Top 3 atm for sure.  SG was just outside my Top 20 for 2020.. though Seemingly Sincere was in my Top3 for songs for 2020, and there are a TON of great guitar solo's in SG.

I welcome your thoughts (anyone's for that matter).  It's an open question.

For me, SG was good not great, but I&D is probably going to end up on the all time great list.  For me, it's THAT GOOD.  There's still not one track I skip over (I'll sometimes skip over even great tracks in the interest of time, if I'm in the mood for something; The Grand Experiment will sometimes get skipped to get to the AMAZING Waterfall, for instance). 

[KevShmev]

I agree that while good, Sola Gratia was not one of Neal's better records, but it's still good, and I agree that there are a lot of great guitar solos on there.  Eric does the one, but Neal does the rest, and he has improved so much on the electric guitar over the years,

[DTwwbwMP]

I agree that while good, Sola Gratia was not one of Neal's better records

Especially considering that Sola Scriptura is one of Neal's greatest

[axeman90210]

Radiant has started their Christmas sales. A lot of the live cds/dvds are on sale for $1.99. If you have holes in your collection, you should definitely check it out.

You get the physical product for a dollar and the download costs ten times as much? Where's the logic in that?

Sadly, as always, shipping is far too expensive to make the sale interesting if you live outside the US.

Methinks their goal is to burn through a bunch of extra physical inventory.

[KevShmev]

I agree that while good, Sola Gratia was not one of Neal's better records

Especially considering that Sola Scriptura is one of Neal's greatest

I do not agree with that at all, but I know that some fans do consider it one of his best, so I will not quibble too much.

[Willthescout7]

Radiant has started their Christmas sales. A lot of the live cds/dvds are on sale for $1.99. If you have holes in your collection, you should definitely check it out.

Is there a page that actually says what is on sale without just having to randomly click on items to see what the price is?

When I took a look, I think every item included in the sale had a red circle in the upper right that said 'sale'. There wasn't a particular page though with all of the items. I just scrolled through the store until I found stuff I wanted.

[KevShmev]

Radiant has started their Christmas sales. A lot of the live cds/dvds are on sale for $1.99. If you have holes in your collection, you should definitely check it out.

Is there a page that actually says what is on sale without just having to randomly click on items to see what the price is?

When I took a look, I think every item included in the sale had a red circle in the upper right that said 'sale'. There wasn't a particular page though with all of the items. I just scrolled through the store until I found stuff I wanted.

If you order it today from Radiant, there is a good chance you will receive it by Christmas 2022. 

[axeman90210]

But this is exactly the kind of stuff Radiant is good for. I've snagged some crazy good deals on Neal and Transatlantic live releases where I didn't really care if they showed up in 3 weeks or 3 months. I just try to avoid relying on them for new releases.

[goo-goo]

But this is exactly the kind of stuff Radiant is good for. I've snagged some crazy good deals on Neal and Transatlantic live releases where I didn't really care if they showed up in 3 weeks or 3 months. I just try to avoid relying on them for new releases.

Just snagged Morsefest 2014, 2015, 2017 Blurays for $1.99 each and the Neal Morse Life and Times vinyl for $7.99. $14 media mail shipping. Can't complain for all of these items for $29. And don't care when it shows up lol. 

[425]

Exactly. This is the positive side of Radiant being dubiously run—I guess they frequently put on these crazy sales in order to shed inventory. If you don't care about shipping time, you can get some awesome deals. It's how I've collected most of Neal's live releases.

[MinistroRaven]

I was going to get some items and get them shipped to the freight company in Miami, but 72 USD for media mail is a bit steep.

Sorry Neal, I guess I will stick to Digital only.

[HOF]

I ordered Life and Times for a shade over $5 including shipping. Not bad. I’ll get it when I get it (have waited this long already).

[goo-goo]

I was going to get some items and get them shipped to the freight company in Miami, but 72 USD for media mail is a bit steep.

Sorry Neal, I guess I will stick to Digital only.

What did you order? $72 sounds a bit steep for media mail, unless you ordered everything that was on sale.

[Kram]

Radiant has started their Christmas sales. A lot of the live cds/dvds are on sale for $1.99. If you have holes in your collection, you should definitely check it out.

Is there a page that actually says what is on sale without just having to randomly click on items to see what the price is?

When I took a look, I think every item included in the sale had a red circle in the upper right that said 'sale'. There wasn't a particular page though with all of the items. I just scrolled through the store until I found stuff I wanted.

Here's the link to all the sale items - https://www.nealmorse.com/2021/11/16/insane-radiant-christmas-sale/?inf_contact_key=c308bd5616e3113e341429b416419ff1680f8914173f9191b1c0223e68310bb1

[Kram]

I too think I&D is an excellent album, and a contender for album of the year - whereas Sola Gratia was just average by NM standards.  But I think it's important to remember one is a NM solo album, and one is a NMB album.  I don't think the writing contributions, by Bill and Randy in particular on this album, can be overstated enough.

[MinistroRaven]

I was going to get some items and get them shipped to the freight company in Miami, but 72 USD for media mail is a bit steep.

Sorry Neal, I guess I will stick to Digital only.

What did you order? $72 sounds a bit steep for media mail, unless you ordered everything that was on sale.

Not everything, but half of it, haha

[emtee]

Radiant has started their Christmas sales. A lot of the live cds/dvds are on sale for $1.99. If you have holes in your collection, you should definitely check it out.

Is there a page that actually says what is on sale without just having to randomly click on items to see what the price is?

When I took a look, I think every item included in the sale had a red circle in the upper right that said 'sale'. There wasn't a particular page though with all of the items. I just scrolled through the store until I found stuff I wanted.

Here's the link to all the sale items - https://www.nealmorse.com/2021/11/16/insane-radiant-christmas-sale/?inf_contact_key=c308bd5616e3113e341429b416419ff1680f8914173f9191b1c0223e68310bb1

Thanks for the link. I searched the website twice and damned if I could find the sale. I'm definitely filling in some holes. Testimony 2 is only .99.

[Willthescout7]

I picked up Morsefest 2014,2015, and 2017, Live in Los Angeles, Alive Again, More is never Enough, Kaliveoscope, and Live in Tilberg 2017.

[darkshade]

Picked up Songs for November, Life and Times, Testimony 2 Live in LA, Morsefest 14 and 15
MF17 seems to not be available anymore, unfortunately, and it seems that I snagged the last copy of MF'15

9 bucks for everything + shipping so $15 for all those CDs. Not bad.

[The Letter M]

The only things on sale that I didn't already have but wanted were the MF 2014 & 2015 BD sets, plus Life & Times. I got all 3 for only $9.96 shipped. Not bad! Now 8 can watch the first two MF shows in high def since the digipak sets only included DVDs and I've long wanted to get the BD sets for awhile anyway so at $1.99 each is a steal.

-Marc.

[goo-goo]

I received my order on Saturday. Impressed with the delivery time. I'm located in Texas.

[HOF]

I got my order on Friday. Pretty smooth transaction this time.

[Willthescout7]

Got my Christmas sale order processed and delivered in less than a week. I was very surprised.

[HOF]

Went ahead and ordered Testimony 2 just to be somewhat completist, and the proggy Christmas CD that I think about buying every year.

[gzarruk]

and the proggy Christmas CD that I think about buying every year.

That's a great one, highly recommended

[Metro]

From the latest Inner Circle Letter

BIG NEWS: THE CHURCH HAS SOLD!

New Life Fellowship, where we have been having Morsefest for the past eight years, has a letter of intent for sale to another church down south of us. It's very exciting for the churches; they're all excited to move into a new season. The deal won't be complete for many months and there is a transition period that will go on for awhile so MF22 will certainly take place there.

However, I think you guys should know that this will almost certainly be the last Morsefest at that location. It's hard for me to imagine having Morsefest at a different location... I don't want to say it's the last one, but it could be. I don't have a crystal ball, but it is indeed possible, and I wanted to let you guys know. Wow, right?

[KevShmev]

Neal is ever the salesman who could certainly be trying to sell the rest of the tickets assuming some are still available ("Get your tickets, it could be the last Morsefest ever!!"), but it is hard to imagine Morsefest anywhere else.  There is a specialness there to the concerts that you have to experience to get. 

[Cocopjojo]

I'm sure a big part of it is that they didn't have to pay for that venue, which knocks off a ton of the cost and allows for better profits.

[The Letter M]

My order from November 18th has finally shipped as of today. Way to go, Radiant Records. At least it was 4 really cheap items that I am in no rush to get.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

I'm sure a big part of it is that they didn't have to pay for that venue, which knocks off a ton of the cost and allows for better profits.

I would imagine that the cost to the church (no way they do let him do it there for free) still means a higher profit to Neal than if he played it in a traditional venue, but I am sure a nice chunk goes into the collection plate that Sunday.

[darkshade]

My order from November 18th has finally shipped as of today. Way to go, Radiant Records. At least it was 4 really cheap items that I am in no rush to get.

-Marc.

Still waiting on my order to ship. Glad I'm not in a Neal mood currently.

[Stadler]

Mine came Tuesday.  I still can't believe I got three six-disk sets, one three-disk set, one two-disk set and two single disks for $16.  I almost feel guilty (I'm not kidding).