Author Topic: Counting down Neal Morse's best 25 albums!!!! (Read 10487 times)

Mladen · « **Reply #105 on:** February 18, 2019, 07:05:46 AM »

I'm still slightly disappointed by The Grand experiment. Alive again is my last favorite of his epics outside of SB and TA, and The Call is a rather underwhelming opener, especially the vocal parts. Ironically, Agenda might be my favorite track on it.

Snow is fantastic. The first disc is tremendous, almost all of it is great songs. Disc two is also very solid. To be honest, I really like the interludes and reprises. My biggest issue with Snow is that Wind at my back does absolutely nothing to me, which is a shame, since it's kind of the centerpiece of the album.

KevShmev · « **Reply #106 on:** February 18, 2019, 01:52:29 PM »

08. Beware of Darkness

The first Spock's Beard album I heard remains my favorite. After starting with a good cover of a George Harrison song, which then became the title track, it is nothing but greatness the rest of the way through. Thoughts, The Doorway, Walking on the Wind and Waste Away are all among the best Spock's tunes ever, and the finale, Time Has Come, is a really cool tune, especially since it doesn't really follow what would become Neal's somewhat formulaic structure for an epic. This was early on when Neal was still playing around with how to structure songs and this one always sounds really fresh when standing back and looking at all of his epics.

The Doorway is, quite possibly, my favorite Spock's Beard song to date, and I finally got it to see it last year...twice! First on Neal's solo acoustic tour, and then on night 1 of Morsefest during the "Voices of the Beard" evening. The piano intro would make Tony Banks proud, and the melodies this song features just grab you and never let go. Amazing song, with a fantastic "fake" ending, and then the real ending which ends being a slow burn till it ends in bombastic fashion once and for all.

Mladen · « **Reply #107 on:** February 18, 2019, 03:19:06 PM »

I prefer The Light, V and Snow, but damn, does this album have some strong stuff on it.

It's interesting to see that someone's favorite SB album is at number 9 of all of Neal's albums, given that SB is such a significant part of his career.

KevShmev · « **Reply #108 on:** February 18, 2019, 08:05:17 PM »

Number 8, actually.

RoeDent · « **Reply #109 on:** February 19, 2019, 03:41:16 AM »

Beware of Darkness was my first Spock's Beard album. I love Waste Away and Time Has Come. There is a tragic element to the making of the album in that it was Kevin Gilbert's last mixing job before he passed away.

DTA · « **Reply #110 on:** February 19, 2019, 05:09:22 AM »

Beware is a great album. Every song is strong, and the longer pieces are all top-tier. Time Has Come is a really good epic and I wish he'd play it at some point in a Morsefest. Maybe an Epics of SB night?

KevShmev · « **Reply #111 on:** February 19, 2019, 06:40:37 AM »

07. Testimony Two

Almost never is the sequel as good or better than the original, but in the case of Testimony, the sequel lapped the original! It is more diverse, has better songs, and is just a better overall record. Disc 1 fills in the gaps of Neal's spiritual journey that he left out in the original, and then Disc 2 are three standalone songs, two of which are tremendous, the ear worm that is Supernatural and the beast of an epic that is Seeds of Gold.

One of the great things about Disc 1 is that the nods to the original Testimony are rare and seem more like nods to it, rather than merely milking those themes for another album. And what really makes Disc 1 so strong is how well it flows. The transitions from song to song are so seamless and seem very natural, rather than cross fading two songs for the sake of it. That is often a great strength of every Neal concept record (or disc, in this case), and it is true this time as well. That 23-minute stretch that covers Part 7 of the Testimony journey (Nighttime Collectors, Time Has Come Today, Jesus' Blood and The Truth Will Set You Free) is one I listen to all the time even when pressed for time since listening to discs/albums in full isn't always so easy these days.

And of course once again Neal absolutely crushes it with Disc 1's finale, the very moving Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise, which has one of the greatest outros I've ever heard. I love how it fades out, as it gives you that feeling that it will go on forever, but our moment to visit it has passed and it slowly leaves us as the band continues to play on. Absolutely brilliant.

ronnibran · « **Reply #112 on:** February 19, 2019, 10:16:59 AM »

Agreed on T2. Probably my favorite album ending also (disc one I mean). Probably in my top 3 of Neal solo releases.

Mladen · « **Reply #113 on:** February 20, 2019, 02:32:35 AM »

That album is almost flawless. My favorite of Neal's solo albums.

KevShmev · « **Reply #114 on:** February 20, 2019, 09:34:46 AM »

06. ?

Speaking of flawless records, this one qualifies! I remember a few pre-release reviews hyping the heck out of this one, and thinking, "they are setting the bar high," but this album cleared it, with room to spare!! It is another flawless record where the songs are all tremendous, the flow is immaculate, and the climax is very gratifying.

Aided by guest stars like Roine Stolt, Steve Hackett and Jordan Rudess, some of the solos and instrumental sections on this record are nothing short of mind-blowing. Hackett's solo in 12 is a monster (best guitar solo on any Neal solo record!!), and that extended section in the middle of In the Fire is the stuff of legends.

And honestly, it almost feels odd to pick out individual songs as standouts because they are blend together and flow so seamlessly. I am not going to cheat and call it one song like some do, but this is a great example of how you can take 12 songs and fit them together to make a perfect record.

Zydar · « **Reply #115 on:** February 20, 2019, 10:10:27 AM »

I only heard this for the first time a few weeks ago, and I really love it. Especially the first half, with The Temple Of The Living God, Another World, and In The Fire being the highlights. Outside Looking In is awesome too. Great stuff!

Mladen · « **Reply #116 on:** February 20, 2019, 12:28:00 PM »

This one used to be my favorite of the bunch. However, it kind of bugs me that none of the song is a clear stand out. I'm having a hard time picking just one and listening to it on its own. But as a whole, the album works really well.

Learning2Live · « **Reply #117 on:** February 20, 2019, 01:09:45 PM »

That run from the back-half of 12 through Inside His Presence (well through the end of the album for that matter) is probably in my top 3 of musical moments from Neal's solo prog/NMB collection.

Moor · « **Reply #118 on:** February 21, 2019, 04:43:44 AM »

Thank you so much KevShmev for this very interesting and helpful thread.

DTA · « **Reply #119 on:** February 21, 2019, 05:19:30 AM »

? is probably his best overall solo album. It's not super long and all the songs feel tight and impactful rather than overly drawn out to make things "epic". In The Fire is the clear standout, and The Temple of The Living God melody is super-catchy, but I also like the way too short Glory Of The Lord segment. I wish that would've actually been extended into a bit more (which is something I never say about Neal's music).

KevShmev · « **Reply #120 on:** February 21, 2019, 08:07:23 AM »

05. One

I go back and forth on which album is my favorite Neal solo album, ? or One, but this month it was One, so it gets the top 5 slot for now.

As much as I liked Testimony, the leap in quality when this came out was more than evident, and the sound was back to being very warm and very organic, as opposed to Testimony's dry sound. The lyrics might be a bit too much for some, and if they were by just about any other artists, they would be for me, but Neal manages to make the story so enjoyable to listen to, and of course the songs...my goodness, the songs are nothing short of magnificent.

The Separated Man might still be my favorite song from any Neal solo record, and I am huge fan of Help Me as well. Reunion is also another well done epic closer.

Notable as well is that this was the first Neal album featuring Randy George on the bass, and his presence makes a difference. Some of those bass licks he lays down in The Creation are pretty bad ass.

Two of three bonus tracks are nice, but I am glad they were not included as a part of the normal CD, as it would have felt too long, plus Nothing to Believe is pretty average and its inclusion would have dragged down the overall consistency.

Overall, this is another terrific record.

DTA · « **Reply #121 on:** February 21, 2019, 09:03:12 AM »

The Separated Man is a really good epic. I know The Creation seems to be the more popular, but I find Separated Man to be better in nearly every way. I like how it just starts without any sort of "epic intro" and the acoustic parts near the end are just great. This and Seeds Of Gold are probably his best stand-alone epics outside of SB.

Dedalus · « **Reply #122 on:** February 21, 2019, 09:22:32 AM »

Quote from: KevShmev on February 21, 2019, 08:07:23 AM

The lyrics might be a bit too much for some, and if they were by just about any other artists, they would be for me, but Neal manages to make the story so enjoyable to listen to, and of course the songs...my goodness, the songs are nothing short of magnificent.

That's a good question.

Personally, NM's lyrics are a problem for me. I'm glad that English is not my native language at this case, because I can try to "pay less attention to the lyrics". But it's a bit of what you've said. The fact of being NM changes everything.
I love One.

Mladen · « **Reply #123 on:** February 21, 2019, 09:54:10 AM »

I like this one, although it can get overwhelming towards the end. As much as Neal is the master of dramatic prog rock, this one might be too much in some spots. My favorites include The Separated man, Author of confusion and The Creation.

KevShmev · « **Reply #124 on:** February 21, 2019, 09:58:34 AM »

Quote from: DTA on February 21, 2019, 09:03:12 AM

The Separated Man is a really good epic. I know The Creation seems to be the more popular, but I find Separated Man to be better in nearly every way. I like how it just starts without any sort of "epic intro" and the acoustic parts near the end are just great.

Yep, that is one Neal epic that really strays from the formula he has used for his long epics since 2000. And that formula always works well, but it's good to get some different structures as well.

Zydar · « **Reply #125 on:** February 22, 2019, 01:46:11 PM »

Can't wait to see which of Similitude and TGA is #1

KevShmev · « **Reply #126 on:** February 22, 2019, 01:46:23 PM »

04. The Whirlwind

I am not what I can say about this record that hasn't been said already over the years, but this blew the minds of most TA fans back in '09, including mine.

Not that the rest of the album isn't great, but that run from The Wind That Blew Them Away through Rose Covered Glasses is one of the best 30-31 minutes of non-stop music on any CD I own. Just unbelievable. And the rest is pretty damn great as well. My only minor quibbles are the Overture sounds too copied and pasted, as it bounces from theme to theme in their attempt to check off each box before the singing starts, and then the last song goes on way too long as well, again because it felt like they wanted to hammer every theme again, but again those are minor quibbles, and I do like both of those songs; I just can't put this album in the top 3 here because the albums ahead of start and finish better, while being just as strong throughout.

Mladen · « **Reply #127 on:** February 23, 2019, 06:32:55 AM »

I was never too crazy about this one. There are some highlights and a couple of great tracks and themes, but I'd much rather play the first two Transatlantic albums.

KevShmev · « **Reply #128 on:** February 23, 2019, 09:35:59 AM »

03. SMPTe

I remember hearing this for the first time back in 2000. My brother got it first, as he had heard about this side project that Mike Portnoy was doing with some other guys we had no clue about, and I heard a bit of All of the Above and was like, "Woah, what is that?? That sounds great!" He then played me the beginning of My New World and I was like, "Okay, I need this!"

My own copy of the CD was in my hand within a week and it was one of the two CD's that dominated my CD player in 2000 (the other being Scenes from a Memory). And of course that record was my gateway to getting into both the Flower Kings and Spock's Beard, so its impact on me was huge.

Back to the record, though, this is sometimes my favorite Neal record, but for now it sits comfortably at number 2. All of the Above is hands down the best song I have ever heard over 30 minutes in length (if it ain't a single track on the CD, it ain't a single song, for context), We All Need Some Light is one of Neal's most-enduring melodies to date, Mystery Train is a fun little rocker, and Roine's My New World is so majestic and epic. And of course the Procol Harum cover is really nice as well.

This is one of those albums I don't listen to on a regular basis anymore, simply because I overplayed the crap out of it for years back in the day, but it remains one of my favorites.

DTA · « **Reply #129 on:** February 23, 2019, 10:54:37 AM »

SMPTe is definitely my favorite TA album. I can't describe how refreshing it was to hear this music come from these guys in a time when they were all in their musical prime. It felt new and exciting and the songs are all excellent with AOTA being my favorite TA song. We All Need Some Light was the best of his sappy acoustic ballads up to that point and My New World is so infused with the 90's Flower King sound that I can't help but love it. I was lucky enough to catch them in Philly on the tour they did for this album. I didn't even own the album at that point, I was just so obsessed with Portnoy that I would've done anything to see him live at that point. I miss this period of his career when side projects felt fresh and exciting...now they just feel more done out of obligation/quantity than any creative desire.

Zydar · « **Reply #130 on:** February 23, 2019, 11:19:12 AM »

Was this the start of Mike's and Neal's musical collaboration?

KevShmev · « **Reply #131 on:** February 23, 2019, 12:10:26 PM »

Quote from: Zydar on February 23, 2019, 11:19:12 AM

Was this the start of Mike's and Neal's musical collaboration?

Yes.

Quote from: DTA on February 23, 2019, 10:54:37 AM

We All Need Some Light was the best of his sappy acoustic ballads up to that point

I would never describe that as a sappy song.

DTA · « **Reply #132 on:** February 23, 2019, 01:16:49 PM »

You’re probably right but I just automatically feel like any acoustic ballad is sappy by nature. Sappy can be good though

ronnibran · « **Reply #133 on:** February 23, 2019, 02:10:38 PM »

Quote from: Mladen on February 23, 2019, 06:32:55 AM

I was never too crazy about this one. There are some highlights and a couple of great tracks and themes, but I'd much rather play the first two Transatlantic albums.

That’s exactly how I feel! I can’t remember the last time I’ve listened to this one all the way through.

Mladen · « **Reply #134 on:** February 23, 2019, 05:11:58 PM »

All of the above is a masterpiece. That word gets used a lot, but this is the perfect opportunity to use it. Also, My new world is wonderful. I've always liked the Procol Harum cover, even though I've never heard the original.

425 · « **Reply #135 on:** February 23, 2019, 07:36:44 PM »

I think I have unusual opinions when it comes to Transatlantic. I really enjoy Kaleidoscope, mainly on the strength of the title track (probably my third favorite TA song), which fell early in your list. Meanwhile, All of the Above is perhaps my favorite Transatlantic song, but I do not like Mystery Train at all, and find My New World, though still good, to be my least favorite TA epic.

I agree with your overall assessment of The Whirlwind, but I also think I find myself in the minority when I say that I *LOVE* Dancing With Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (Reprise). I think the length of that ending is an excellent payoff for the full epic, and is probably my favorite Neal Morse finale.

KevShmev · « **Reply #136 on:** February 23, 2019, 09:33:42 PM »

To reiterate, I do like Dancing With Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (Reprise) a lot; it just feels a bit too long. But that's prog for ya, right?

Learning2Live · « **Reply #137 on:** February 23, 2019, 10:41:46 PM »

Seeing that BAF has yet to be listed, it just reiterates just how good of a band Transatlantic has been and the quality of their output. An amazing discography from a great band. It's been a fun read going through your rankings.

axeman90210 · « **Reply #138 on:** February 24, 2019, 08:07:30 AM »

All of the Above is the best song Transatlantic's ever put out (and one of my absolute favorite epics from anybody ever). I have to say though that I don't really care for the Procul Harum cover, I pretty much always skip it.

Elite · « **Reply #139 on:** February 24, 2019, 08:28:24 AM »

So that’s Similitude and Bridge Across Forever left, right?

I’m rooting for Bridge as #1!

News: Track-by-track video for Untethered Angel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Co1_h0GtAw

Author Topic: Counting down Neal Morse's best 25 albums!!!! (Read 10487 times)