Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

[goo-goo]

Between Mindflux and goo-goo, there were only 5 orders in the span of 22 seconds, but between goo-goo and I, in the span of 18 seconds, there were 30 orders. Quite the leap there! With that in mind, I'm sure the first 100 were all gone before 10:00:30 AM.

-Marc.

Yep. Remember radiant sells world wide, so it's just the US competing for those first 100. 

Wait...what? That's confusing. Did you mean "so it's NOT just the US"??

I do think that they should mention they are past the signed preorder stage after that happens (a few minutes in) so that people aren't buying with a false sense of hope for that signed artwork or whatever.

I think that's the point, actually.
Radiant is the SOURCE, it's Neal's record label, and they've done these promotions for the longest time to try and get the bulk of pre-orders in from fans. Nowadays, a lot of other websites, especially internationally, offer pre-orders, like the aforementioned BurningShed, and their versions are the European ones, which come from the Inside Out record label. And if you recall my previous posts in this thread and the Transatlantic threads, the Inside Out versions of Neal's albums typically have BETTER packaging - digibooks with hard covers as opposed to digipaks, things like that. Neal offers these "signed item" specials in hopes to get a ton of pre-orders so they can make more money right out of the gate. And I don't blame him! This is his livelihood, which is why I do not mind spending money on Radiant, even for slightly inferior product, but if I can get it signed, then I'm happy with the packaging even more!

-Marc.

I felt ripped off when I saw the pictures you posted comparing the European editions vs the Neal editions. I may someday hunt down the European and sell the american version.

[Nihil-Morari]

Yeah same here. I'll wait until I can see which version I'm gonna buy. I want to hold it in my hands first. I mean, I've got the European version of Whirld Tour, and the American version of Kaliveoscope, and the difference is huge.

[Mindflux]

Wait...what? That's confusing. Did you mean "so it's NOT just the US"??

Err yes. NOT just the US.

[Mindflux]

https://www.tollbooth.org/index.php/home/music-reviews/1421-neal-morse-band-the-the-grand-experiment

Early Review

[Mindflux]

Yesterday was a record breaking day here at Radiant! The first 24 hrs of The Grand Experiment pre-sales blasted our record for the highest one day sales in Radiant history! What?!?! We have the BEST fans in Prog music! Now we can't wait to see The Neal Morse Band head out for what's sure to be a record breaking tour!

[The Letter M]

For all the Inner Circle members here (which is how many? I'd actually like to know! ), this month's disc will be the Making Of ?, video and sound compiled from the sessions of Neal's 3rd (5th?) solo album, the 12-part epic known as the Question Mark album.

There's a video preview on Radiant's website, and it looks good! It's weird seeing Mike and Randy so YOUNG from an album's sessions that date back about a decade this year! Crazy that it's been almost that long since ? came out. This video makes me want to listen to the album now. Definitely one of Neal's better works. If they do another MORSEfest again (which I think Neal said they were looking into it), they should definitely play this album in its entirety this year, ESPECIALLY because it'll be 10 years old!!!

-Marc.

[Nihil-Morari]

Those making of DVD's are the best. The making of One was awesome, and this will be too, no doubt. I believe that with this coming DVD we will have making off's of all NM albums since Testimony, right?

PS. And all TA albums since Bridge...

PPS. And both flying colors albums, though I haven't seen those

PPPS. Are there more?

PPPPS. I forgot Sola Scriptura and Lifeline, I guess they'll be future IC releases.

[The Letter M]

PPPPS. I forgot Sola Scriptura and Lifeline, I guess they'll be future IC releases.

This. I assume they'll get released eventually. I know they recorded stuff (as Mike and Neal always do, but Neal put some SS studio stuff on his YouTube back then), so there's probably footage lying around in his archives that Randy will eventually sort through. I'd LOVE to see the Making of Sola Scriptura!!!

-Marc.

[ronnibran]

So excited for the new album!  Haven't ordered it yet, will probably do next Friday as I'll have some overtime pay on my check.  I wish I could go to a store and pick it up on release day.  That's an awesome experience...  And unfortunately I think Dream Theater is the only band I'm really into that I get to do that with!!!

Stupid reviews are giving me such high hopes!!! Haha, I don't think I can be let down, though.  I think "?" is the only album that ever actually disappointed me by Neal.  (it's good, just not my cup of tea?)  Every other album has met or exceeded expectation.  Looking back on Neal's career, I'd have to say Testimony 2 was probably my personal highlight.  So delighted to see a sequel to his first Testimony.  And it sounded so fresh and had so many awesome songs!

Last thought: I can't wait to hear the long epic from the new album!  I always love the epics and feel confident this one will be awesome.

[The Letter M]

So excited for the new album!  Haven't ordered it yet, will probably do next Friday as I'll have some overtime pay on my check.  I wish I could go to a store and pick it up on release day.  That's an awesome experience...  And unfortunately I think Dream Theater is the only band I'm really into that I get to do that with!!!

I wish I could do that, too, but since Sola Scriptura, I've always ordered my albums right from Radiant Records. In fact, I've rarely seen Neal's music in any stores (be it solo, with SB, with TA, with FC, or anyone), which is a damn shame because he is a great musician with a keen ear for melody and hooks.

Stupid reviews are giving me such high hopes!!! Haha, I don't think I can be let down, though.  I think "?" is the only album that ever actually disappointed me by Neal.  (it's good, just not my cup of tea?)  Every other album has met or exceeded expectation.  Looking back on Neal's career, I'd have to say Testimony 2 was probably my personal highlight.  So delighted to see a sequel to his first Testimony.  And it sounded so fresh and had so many awesome songs!

T2 was pretty amazing! I love taking the time to spin both T1 and T2 together - it creates an AMAZING 3+ hour listening experience. Do you really not click with ? that much? Did you enjoy Lifeline more than it? I find LL to be my least favorite of his since Testimony - it was an attempt to be a song-based album rather than a conceptual piece like his previous 4 works had been, and because of that, its strengths (the title track, "Leviathan", and the epic "So Many Roads") stand out in a sea of mediocre tracks, but at the time it came out, I felt like they bogged the whole album down. Neal didn't get this formula right until Momentum, which for me, as a non-conceptual album, is the better of those two. I'm hoping Neal continues that trend with The Grand Experiment.

Last thought: I can't wait to hear the long epic from the new album!  I always love the epics and feel confident this one will be awesome.

YES! His epics never disappoint me, be it with SB or TA, or his solo works, they're always magnificent. Songs like "So Many Roads", "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End" are all amazing, have incredible themes and motifs, some catchy choruses and hooks, and just display some of the best musicianship he and his bandmates record. I know it's awfully stereotypical of me to be a progger who loves long, multi-part epics, but when it comes to Neal, he just does them right for me! "Alive Again" sounds like it'll be another winner in a long string of epics!

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Lifeline wasn't that great, but I still think it was better than Songs from November, which was similar to It's Not Too Late: it all sounded nice, but very little of either demanded frequent rotation in my CD player.

[OpenYourEyes311]

I'll never understand the dislike for Lifeline. Maybe it's because it was my first Neal album, but it may be my favorite, except for T2 probably. No love for Children of the Chosen? The Way Home? God's Love? These are GREAT songs!! Very melodic, he's singing right from the heart... I love it. On top of that the best epic he's ever done in So Many Roads!! It seems like I'm the only one who thinks this way. It's not a problem, I just think it's weird.

[KevShmev]

I like Lifeline, but I don't love it.  So Many Roads is definitely pretty great, and despite needing some editing, the title track is very good.  Nothing else on it really sticks with me.  None of it is bad, but it's just kind of there. 

[The Letter M]

None of it is bad, but it's just kind of there.

Pretty much my feelings about Lifeline. It's kind of there, but it still has some great moments. I'll spin it tonight before going to bed (as I usually put an album on to go to sleep with). I really do like the bonus track originals, though, and feel like they should've been included with the main album, although it was already nearly 70 minutes long. "Sometimes He Waits" was about as good as anything else on the album (as far as short songs go), but "Set The Kingdom" has some great parts. I kind of wish they'd actually play it live with Portnoy, though, since it was Collin Leijenaar who recorded drums for it on the album version.

That bonus/hidden track, though...THAT was pretty good.

-Marc.

[Mladen]

I love So many roads, it's pretty much as great as his other epics. 

[ronnibran]

I think I don't care for "?" because it's a concept album and I just fail to connect with the lyrics.  Being a Neal fan, I'm obviously used to, and even love, concept albums.  But there's just so much there (solid as the sun, burn it in the fire, other lyrical stuff, etc) that just doesn't do it for me at all, and I'm a huge lyric guy.

Another example is Scenes from a Memory.  I don't like the story at all, and I just never listen to the album.  I listen to pretty much every other DT album though.  Even "The Spirit Carries On", for example.  Totally awesome song.  And then at the end the random line about Victoria being real, it totally kills the momentum for me.

Obviously these are just my opinions.  I get why people like the albums, as everyone likes what they like for different reasons.

As for Lifeline, I really don't like that album so much.  There's a couple decent songs, and I love So Many Roads.  But, going with my lyric theme, I can't stand Leviathan (probably my least favorite Neal song).  It's second place above ? if I were to rank the solo prog Neal albums.  T1, T2, Sola, and One will probably always be the big four for me.

[hefdaddy42]

I like Lifeline quite a bit.  I think the title track, Leviathan, and the three acoustic-based songs are fantastic.  So Many Roads is OK, but not great, and I don't like Fly High at all.  I think that, in contrast with its title, it never takes off, and stays flat on the ground.

I like Lifeline better than Testimony 2, easily.

[Nihil-Morari]

I like Lifeline quite a bit.  I think the title track, Leviathan, and the three acoustic-based songs are fantastic.  So Many Roads is OK, but not great, and I don't like Fly High at all.  I think that, in contrast with its title, it never takes off, and stays flat on the ground.

I like Lifeline better than Testimony 2, easily.

I must be misunderstanding that last thing you're saying there, Hef.

[hefdaddy42]

No, I don't think so.  I haven't been able to get into Testimony 2.  It's got its moments, for sure, but I don't think it measures up to Testimony at all, or to any of his other concept albums.  It just falls flat for me, no connection whatsoever.

I much prefer Disc 2 to Disc 1.  I love Seeds of Gold, and the other two songs aren't bad either.

[The Letter M]

No, I don't think so.  I haven't been able to get into Testimony 2.  It's got its moments, for sure, but I don't think it measures up to Testimony at all, or to any of his other concept albums.  It just falls flat for me, no connection whatsoever.

I much prefer Disc 2 to Disc 1.  I love Seeds of Gold, and the other two songs aren't bad either.

I can see how one might feel that way. For me, it was the opposite with LL/T2. The former fell flat for me aside from the few songs I mentioned before, including the epic, but when T2 came out, the main album blew me away. The opening tracks were catchy and powerful, the return of some themes from T1 were welcomed, and the over-all concept was nice. I also loved the Spock's Beard vocal reunion that appeared on the album. And yes, the 2nd disc is pretty stellar, too, with the epic "Seeds Of Gold".

I'd say T2 was a return to form for me with Neal's music, and he's only gone in the right directions ever since.

-Marc.

[Nihil-Morari]

I think I was just really happy with T2 at the time. After finding '?' a bit less than the mighty One, and Sola didn't do much for me, and Lifeline after that wasn't any good at all really, I somehow thought Neal's most creative days were over. I was amazed that he found a way through and made such a great album at that point in his career. (Especially after writing a very large portion of The Whirlwind just before)

[darkshade]

I think I was just really happy with T2 at the time. After finding '?' a bit less than the mighty One, and Sola didn't do much for me, and Lifeline after that wasn't any good at all really, I somehow thought Neal's most creative days were over. I was amazed that he found a way through and made such a great album at that point in his career. (Especially after writing a very large portion of The Whirlwind just before)

To me, The Whirlwind seemed to invigorate Neal's creative juices. Since The Whirlwind, T2 and Momentum have been great albums, some of his best. Kaleidoscope was good too.

[The Letter M]

I think I was just really happy with T2 at the time. After finding '?' a bit less than the mighty One, and Sola didn't do much for me, and Lifeline after that wasn't any good at all really, I somehow thought Neal's most creative days were over. I was amazed that he found a way through and made such a great album at that point in his career. (Especially after writing a very large portion of The Whirlwind just before)

To me, The Whirlwind seemed to invigorate Neal's creative juices. Since The Whirlwind, T2 and Momentum have been great albums, some of his best. Kaleidoscope was good too.

I've felt that way, too. Since 2009, Neal's prog music has been pretty top notch - The Whirlwind, Testimony 2, Flying Colors, Momentum, Kaleidoscope, Second Nature, and soon The Grand Experiment (we hope! First reviews are looking good!).

Before the TA reunion, he had only worked with his solo material since 2003, so I think by branching out with FC and TA (again), he was able to sort through his material and pick out stuff that was pretty good and worth having on an album. He also hasn't been afraid of being more collaborative (which is GOOD!) with Mike and Randy, as well as having guests (like on T2 and Momentum). Also, finding his own FULL BAND through auditions was a smart idea, being able to get people who could tour with him all over the world (and not just his former European-tour band), as well as being able to tour with the musicians who helped put the record together (i.e. Randy and Mike, eventually Eric and Bill too).

The premise for TGE is promising, having gone into the studio with no real fully prepared demos and material with the band, and considering the quality of TA and FC music, I'd say we can expect something as good, if not better, especially given with how much Eric and Bill were involved with these writing sessions (and I'm assuming Randy was, too).

-Marc.

[OpenYourEyes311]

***nothing to see here.***

[HolidaysAnoraks]

Radiant shipped my copy! Excited to hear this

[The Letter M]

Radiant shipped my copy! Excited to hear this

Pretty sure they just printed the shipping labels for everyone.

Your postage has been PRINTED for your Radiant Records order, and you will receive an additional email once your order has been SHIPPED. ***Pre-Sales will SHIP closer to the actual realease date.*** Thank you! Team Radiant

So yeah, no one will get theirs shipped until at LEAST February, possibly the 4th or 5th to get them out the weekend before the release date of the 10th.

-Marc.

[Mindflux]

Yep I got my "PRINTED" email a couple days ago.

[HolidaysAnoraks]

Whoops! Should have actually read the entire email! Still, it should be a great record. May even go to the Nashville gig if I like it well enough

[Mladen]

Revisiting his discography before the new album comes out. Man, Testimony really is tough to get through, isn't it? Only a couple of truly great songs.

[KevShmev]

I'd say more than a couple, but I agree that it's extremely difficult to get through.  It's so freaking long and there are so many reprises of melodies that quite a few songs have that "been there, done that" feeling even on that album (as opposed to his other albums, for those who want to chime in with "Neal's stuff always sound similar" ). 

[Mladen]

Those reprises are one of the things that make his music so amazing. But they truly aren't that impressive on Testimony, and yeah, there might be too many reprises on it, way more than on other albums.

[Counselor of Prog]

What are your thoughts on NM?

That he is the most talented musician I´ve ever heard. That I love every single second of his music. That the melodies he creates are as beatiful as contemplating the sunset holding the hand of your loved one. And that he seems to be a really nice guy, and I would love to meet him.

Inarguably true.  Thankful I've recently gotten back into his music. 

[ronnibran]

New interview with some clippage of yet unheard stuff

https://progpositivity.podbean.com/mobile/e/progpos-interview-neal-morses-grand-experiment-2015-part-1/#.VM97lNWCiio.twitter

[Prog Snob]

I just received my DVD from joining Neal Morse's Inner Circle.  Did anyone else here join?

[Mindflux]

I just received my DVD from joining Neal Morse's Inner Circle.  Did anyone else here join?

Been a member a while, got mine last night.