I find the album as a whole has very few low points, with my least favorite being Jayda right now, but it does contain the beautiful "Sad Theme" that is further elaborated during Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise. I find CO/MS Reprise to be a fitting ending, and though I usually don't like fade-outs, I think it is appropriate for the end of the album, and leaves the album open for Testimony 3 if it were to happen. (However I think Neal took a cue from Dream Theater, and not end every album in a bombastic way, with a big final chord, etc...)
Im also a big fan of the string section on this album. It is more powerful than usual for Neal Morse. The Truth Will Set You Free is some awesome stuff gong on. I also the overture in this album much more than on T1, maybe because of the first albums' riffs, but also the new stuff. And Time Changer is definitely something different for NM, and has a lot of Rush influence.
Mercy Street, Nighttime Collectors and Road Dog Blues are also a very fun songs, the former being very uplifting and opening with the T2 theme on piano; the latter having great sax work, and moving the story along into some of the main themes of the album. It's For You is good, but has that early 2000s mainstream rock feel to it in the chorus (but doesn't really detract from the song). The rest of the song has some awesome parts with the sweep picking on the guitar (is that Neal???) and just some crazy runs ala Is It Really Happening from The Whirlwind.
The finale of the first disc is one of Neal's best, and is the first song from this album to get stuck in my head. From the opening theme played on guitar this time, and Neal talking about leaving Spock's Beard. But the Crossing Over theme is so catchy and uplifting, and containing some of his most beautiful work (not to mention some Genesis influence), I love this ending, and is up there with the epic endings of Stranger In Your Soul, The Whirlwind, ?, One, and Duel With the Devil.
Seeds of Gold from the second disc is awesome. Those first 2 tracks are ok, solid slices of melodic rock. But Ive heard Seeds of Gold 4 times, and I still feel like I need to listen to it 4 more times just to wrap my head around it. But the parts are so good that they keep bringing me back. Plus dat solo!
4 & 1/2 stars for me (out of 5) for me right now. We'll see how this album ages, but I think it will age quite well.