Spock's Beard Discography thread

[kirksnosehair]

I am one of those, and always have been.  I go to a concert to hear the music performed live, by my favorite musicians.  Maybe it's my background in classical music, or maybe it's just that personally I'm boring as fuck, but I don't give a damn about the "show" or the "fun factor".  I'll sit quietly and enjoy a great musical performance, whether it's classical, jazz, rock and roll, or anything else.  I'll sit quietly and enjoy a great performance of music I don't even like.  The people around me standing up and screaming... I wish they'd just sit down and shut the fuck up.  I'm trying to hear the music.

This guy is clearly my brother from another mother! 

[darkshade]

My copy of The First Twenty Years came in, listening to the first disc now, saving the 2nd disc for later. Seems like a good playlist.

[gzarruk]

My copy of The First Twenty Years came in, listening to the first disc now, saving the 2nd disc for later. Seems like a good playlist.

If it's yout first time listening to it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Falling for Forever

[The Letter M]

My copy of The First Twenty Years came in, listening to the first disc now, saving the 2nd disc for later. Seems like a good playlist.

If it's yout first time listening to it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Falling for Forever

Agreed - FFF is a pretty great epic! And the track list for the compilation as a whole is pretty good, at least as far as the Neal-Era is concerned. For the Nick Era, they definitely should have included "Ghosts Of Autumn" and maybe one more song from Octane. As an introduction to SB, it definitely serves its purpose, and makes a great gift for anyone looking to introduce a friend to the band's evolving sound. Of course, when it came out, i bought it solely for the new epic, but since I had all of the other songs on my phone from the other albums, I made an album/playlist of B-Sides and Bonus Tracks in reverse-chronological order, then ending with "Falling For Forever" as the climactic epic closer.

-Marc.

[ProfessorPeart]

I am one of those, and always have been.  I go to a concert to hear the music performed live, by my favorite musicians.  Maybe it's my background in classical music, or maybe it's just that personally I'm boring as fuck, but I don't give a damn about the "show" or the "fun factor".  I'll sit quietly and enjoy a great musical performance, whether it's classical, jazz, rock and roll, or anything else.  I'll sit quietly and enjoy a great performance of music I don't even like.  The people around me standing up and screaming... I wish they'd just sit down and shut the fuck up.  I'm trying to hear the music.

This guy is clearly my brother from another mother! 

Count me in as another brother with this line of thinking!

[darkshade]

My copy of The First Twenty Years came in, listening to the first disc now, saving the 2nd disc for later. Seems like a good playlist.

If it's yout first time listening to it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Falling for Forever

It's my first time hearing the majority of songs on disc 2, as I only have X from post-Neal SB, but I basically bought it for FFF.

I'm listening to disc 1 earlier, and having been listening to Neal's more recent albums a lot lately, I now hear the aging in his voice. During At The End of the Day his voice sounds so young, that part around 10:39 belting out that note "whooooa" I couldn't believe it. The production sounds great on this compilation, I think these songs sound better than the copies of the respective albums that I have, especially The Light. I'm sure there was some remastering for this release.

[The Letter M]

My copy of The First Twenty Years came in, listening to the first disc now, saving the 2nd disc for later. Seems like a good playlist.

If it's yout first time listening to it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Falling for Forever

It's my first time hearing the majority of songs on disc 2, as I only have X from post-Neal SB, but I basically bought it for FFF.

I'm listening to disc 1 earlier, and having been listening to Neal's more recent albums a lot lately, I now hear the aging in his voice. During At The End of the Day his voice sounds so young, that part around 10:39 belting out that note "whooooa" I couldn't believe it. The production sounds great on this compilation, I think these songs sound better than the copies of the respective albums that I have, especially The Light. I'm sure there was some remastering for this release.

According to the sticker blurb on the album, it says it was "Remastered by Rich Mouser", so I assume he touched up a lot, if not all of the tracks on the album.

-Marc.

[darkshade]

You guys were right. Falling For Forever is fantastic. I've listened a few times already and I think it's one of Neal's best. He may as well just do a reunion album at this point, especially during these times.

[bluefox4000]

You guys were right. Falling For Forever is fantastic. I've listened a few times already and I think it's one of Neal's best. He may as well just do a reunion album at this point, especially during these times.

i'd buy a reunion album.  hes done appearances with them here and there.....Also a Snow Reunion.  why not an album?

[gzarruk]

You guys were right. Falling For Forever is fantastic. I've listened a few times already and I think it's one of Neal's best. He may as well just do a reunion album at this point, especially during these times.

i'd buy a reunion album.  hes done appearances with them here and there.....Also a Snow Reunion.  why not an album?

I'd take a reunion IF they also keep Ted, he's too good to loose. But now that there's PSA, he'd technically still involved with SB in some way.

[bluefox4000]

You guys were right. Falling For Forever is fantastic. I've listened a few times already and I think it's one of Neal's best. He may as well just do a reunion album at this point, especially during these times.

i'd buy a reunion album.  hes done appearances with them here and there.....Also a Snow Reunion.  why not an album?

I'd take a reunion IF they also keep Ted, he's too good to loose. But now that there's PSA, he'd technically still involved with SB in some way.

i was a huge Enchant fan before he joined SB.  i love all 3 of the SB albums with him.  So i agree.  I'd want him involved too.

[HOF]

You guys were right. Falling For Forever is fantastic. I've listened a few times already and I think it's one of Neal's best. He may as well just do a reunion album at this point, especially during these times.

i'd buy a reunion album.  hes done appearances with them here and there.....Also a Snow Reunion.  why not an album?

I'd take a reunion IF they also keep Ted, he's too good to loose. But now that there's PSA, he'd technically still involved with SB in some way.

Spock’s Beard with Neal, Nick, and Ted would be amazing and I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t all be in the same band sharing lead vocal duties or even just Ted being lead with Neal on keyboards and Nick on drums.

[The Letter M]

I honestly wonder if Al, Dave, Ryo, and Ted have talked about that possibility before, especially after the two Snow performances. It would be a huge shot in the arm for the band's career, especially for fans who weren't very keen on the Ted-era albums as they went on.

An album with Ted, Nick, and Neal would be a wet dream, especially if the music is as good as "Falling For Forever", but that is honestly up to Neal. Considering his music has outputs in his solo stuff, the Neal Morse Band, Flying Colors, and Transatlantic, I'm not sure he feels the need to revisit SB for new original material.

Al did use some of his writing with X's "The Emperor's Clothes" and BNADS' "Afterthoughts" and "Waiting For Me", so it's not like Neal's touch has been entirely absent from SB in the last decade.

It also depends on Nick's schedule, and if things are looking like BBT might still do shows this year, I'm sure he'll be busy preparing for those.

And of course, Ted and Dave are busy with PSA's 3rd album, and once touring becomes a viable option again, I'm sure they will want to tour, especially with 3 albums of material to tour on.

With all that in mind, I don't see *any* activity happening in the SB camp in 2021, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Well, not to be a spoil sport, but this is unrealistic.  Neal left the band 19 years ago and is in three bands right now, not even counting his solo career; does he need to reunite with the band he was in two decades ago? That same band that seems all but done on their own anyway, demonstrated by the fact that some of the members have splintered off into their own new band? Nah.

[HOF]

Well, not to be a spoil sport, but this is unrealistic.  Neal left the band 19 years ago and is in three bands right now, not even counting his solo career; does he need to reunite with the band he was in two decades ago? That same band that seems all but done on their own anyway, demonstrated by the fact that some of the members have splintered off into their own new band? Nah.

I’m not saying there’s any impetus for it, but it’s not as if Neal is unwilling to revisit SB since he’s done Snow and Falling Forever plus had some input on Brief Nocturns. He definitely is busy with other stuff though. Maybe he’d be willing to do a guest appearance for one song or something.

I think it’s much more likely that Nick would come back as a full member. Just judging by his recent videos where he talks about his time in SB and covers some of their songs all by himself, he clearly still loves the music and he seems like he might currently have as much enthusiasm for the band as anyone else. He’s busy with Sweetwater and Big Big Train, but it’s not like they tour a lot and I think he’s pretty set up to record at Sweetwater whenever he wants, so recording with the band wouldn’t be a problem.

[bluefox4000]

I honestly don't think it's likely.  but i just think.......maybe.....in the slimmest  possible way, lol.  yes Neal left.  but he's not exactly been mr absent with the band, lol.  as others have noted.

[lucasembarbosa]

I've been revisiting SB's discography with more attention recently and I couldn't find anywhere a live record of Nick D'Virgilio singing The Light. Does it even exists?

[HOF]

I've been revisiting SB's discography with more attention recently and I couldn't find anywhere a live record of Nick D'Virgilio singing The Light. Does it even exists?

That seems like an especially Neal-ish song, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they never did it without him.

[The Letter M]

I've been revisiting SB's discography with more attention recently and I couldn't find anywhere a live record of Nick D'Virgilio singing The Light. Does it even exists?

https://www.discogs.com/Spocks-Beard-Gluttons-For-Punishment-Live-In-05/master/465257

Their 2005 live album, Gluttons For Punishment, featured "The Light" as an encore.

-Marc.

[bluefox4000]

I've been revisiting SB's discography with more attention recently and I couldn't find anywhere a live record of Nick D'Virgilio singing The Light. Does it even exists?

https://www.discogs.com/Spocks-Beard-Gluttons-For-Punishment-Live-In-05/master/465257

Their 2005 live album, Gluttons For Punishment, featured "The Light" as an encore.

-Marc.

it's quite a good version too.  but i link it so much to Neal that that version seems wrong, lol

[kirksnosehair]

Well, not to be a spoil sport, but this is unrealistic.  Neal left the band 19 years ago and is in three bands right now, not even counting his solo career; does he need to reunite with the band he was in two decades ago? That same band that seems all but done on their own anyway, demonstrated by the fact that some of the members have splintered off into their own new band? Nah.

Yeah, I don't see it happening either.  Spock's Beard is over.  I'd be surprised to see any new music from Spock's Beard. 

[KevShmev]

I could see Spock's doing another album here in a few years and continue the new trend of putting a new album out every once in a while, but they have been done as touring entity for years now, and they are not even really an active studio band anymore (in the sense of one that works regularly).  But hey, they had a helluva good run.

[kirksnosehair]

One of the few bands that never really released a complete dud of an album.   Even after losing their primary songwriter they managed to pick up the pieces, reinvent themselves and come out swinging.  Gotta give them a lot of credit for their longevity and the overall high quality of their output.  I can only think of a relatively small number of bands who were as consistently good for that long. 

[bluefox4000]

Yea all 3 eras have worthwhile albums.

Example.....i consider X to be an all time classic.  Peak and end of the Nick era.

than.....they surprised me with brief Nocturnes.  a big fav as well.

quality band man.

[KevShmev]

Yep, X and Brief Nocturnes... are definitely my favorite post-Neal Spock's records.  Even the least best ones like the self-titled record and Noise Floor have some good stuff on there.  I definitely agree that they are a band that never released a dud.

[SoundscapeMN]

bump.



Fantastic 4-minute 15-song Medley from Claudius Taubert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPznRqo321Y

[HOF]

bump.



Fantastic 4-minute 15-song Medley from Claudius Taubert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPznRqo321Y

Very cool!

[HOF]

The Venus slowly rises in the night
The people softly lit by restless moonlight
And as the Jackal preys upon the Netherworld
You can hear as she surprises and sings... RISE!

*drum solo*

Harm’s Way and the whole Kindness of Strangers album has to be some of Neal’s finest songwriting.

[Cocopjojo]

The Venus slowly rises in the night
The people softly lit by restless moonlight
And as the Jackal preys upon the Netherworld
You can hear as she surprises and sings... RISE!

*drum solo*

Harm’s Way and the whole Kindness of Strangers album has to be some of Neal’s finest songwriting.

Agreed. I've been appreciating that section you quoted for 20 years now, and it hasn't gotten old. Top tier Neal.

[KevShmev]

I did a recent spin through the entire Spock's Beard discography (a friend and I did a daily texting listening party of sorts where we would discuss each Spock's album in order), and I can safely say that Harm's Way has held up as a top 5 Spock's tune along with The Light, The Doorway, Flow and either Jaws of Heaven or At the End of the Day. Those last two kind of duke it out for that 5th spot.  Wind at My Back, From the Darkness, Solitary Soul and Thoughts would probably round out my top 10.

And I once again think that Snow is their best album.  Yeah, it's a bit bloated, especially on the second disc, but it's still just so damn great.

Noise Floor and the self-titled album definitely came out of this experience as the least best of the bunch.  Not bad albums, just don't up to the level of the rest.

[HOF]

I did a recent spin through the entire Spock's Beard discography (a friend and I did a daily texting listening party of sorts where we would discuss each Spock's album in order), and I can safely say that Harm's Way has held up as a top 5 Spock's tune along with The Light, The Doorway, Flow and either Jaws of Heaven or At the End of the Day. Those last two kind of duke it out for that 5th spot.  Wind at My Back, From the Darkness, Solitary Soul and Thoughts would probably round out my top 10.

And I once again think that Snow is their best album.  Yeah, it's a bit bloated, especially on the second disc, but it's still just so damn great.

Noise Floor and the self-titled album definitely came out of this experience as the least best of the bunch.  Not bad albums, just don't up to the level of the rest.

I have a hard time picking a favorite from Beware of Darkness, Kindness of Strangers, Day for Night, V, and Snow. But I still think Kindness of Strangers is kind of the perfect blend of pop and prog. It also just doesn’t really have a weak spot, whereas all the others have at least one track I don’t really care for.

I need to give Brief Nocturnes and Oblivion Particle a closer listen. Those two just haven’t had a huge impact on me. I do really love Noise Floor though.

[KevShmev]

Even though it has still has three songs for which I have zero use, I like Day for Night way more than I did at first. I listen to that a lot now (sans the three bad songs).

Brief Noctures... is great.  I'd probably put four or five songs from that in my top 30, even if none break the top 10.

Top 5 albums are pretty set in stone now (until my next run through )

Snow
Beware of Darkness
X
Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep
The Light

[SoundscapeMN]

i consider all the Neal albums basically equal. Snow is the most ambitious, but it is too long to separate itself from the others.

[HOF]

Even though it has still has three songs for which I have zero use, I like Day for Night way more than I did at first. I listen to that a lot now (sans the three bad songs).

Brief Noctures... is great.  I'd probably put four or five songs from that in my top 30, even if none break the top 10.

Top 5 albums are pretty set in stone now (until my next run through )

Snow
Beware of Darkness
X
Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep
The Light

My top 5 would probably go something like:

Kindness of Strangers
V
Snow
Day for Night
Beware of Darkness

I think the next two would actually be Feel Euphoria and Noise Floor but not sure the order. Octane and X are in that tier too probably.

The Light is tricky. I love the title track, and Go The Way You Go is good, but the rest is kind of rough.

[HOF]

i consider all the Neal albums basically equal. Snow is the most ambitious, but it is too long to separate itself from the others.

It’s such a remarkable run of creativity from Neal. Even though I haven’t been a huge fan of his music since he left SB, Neal did so much with SB (and Transatlantic) in such a short time that he will always be a musical giant in my mind.