Official Neal Morse(-related) albums countdown thread! (# 01 featured!!!!)

[KevShmev]

Alright, as was my plan once the DT one went well, I will do a countdown now for Neal Morse and Neal Morse-related albums.

The focus is albums where Neal is the or a regular member, so ones where he may have made a guest appearance, like Ayreon's The Dream Sequencer, are not eligible.

We will do a top 25.

I will count down the 25 albums in order, and they will be taken from lists of anyone who wants to send me theirs via PM. Do not post them on the forum here. Send them to me via PM.  I will take all of the lists and come up with the cumulative list and do the countdown from 25 to 1.

The rules:
-Albums must be listed from 25 to 1 in order (in reverse order), with no ties.  No having three albums at number 4 or anything like that.  DO NOT list your albums with the points total. List them in your order (I will figure out the points on my end). 
-Any list submitted with the albums not numbered will be ignored.
-Anyone wanting to submit a list must do so by the end of day, Sunday, October 16th.  I will then begin the countdown shortly thereafter.
-The list will be tallied numerically in a simple way. On each list, whatever album is at number 1 gets 25 points, number 2 gets 24 points, number 3 gets 23 points, etc.
-PROOFREAD YOUR LISTS BEFORE SENDING THEM.  Any list with the same album mentioned twice will be not be counted.

Feel free to post in this thread as well that you have PM'd me, if for no other reason than to bump this back up for others who may want to participate who may not have seen the thread yet.

This ranking engine link below works great if you have too much difficulty making one on your own. You can input all of the albums you want, and then you pick your favorite of every 1 on 1 matchup and then it spits out your list.

https://rankingengine.pubmeeple.com/

Neal has too many albums to list them all, but a few notes:

-Studio albums only
-Pretty much any studio album by Neal Morse solo (prog, singer/songwriter, worship, etc.), Neal Morse Band, Transatlantic or Flying Colors is eligible.
-The first six albums by Spock's Beard are all eligible, as is the Troika album he did with NDV and Ross Jennings.
-No cover-only albums allowed.
-When it comes to The Absolute Universe by Transatlantic, it can be listed only once in a list (you cannot have the different versions taking up multiple spots), and any version you pick will be considered as simply a ranking for The Absolute Universe.
-No bonus tracks or whatever count. Please rank the album based on the proper albums as officially released.  For example, Testimony, Testimony 2 and Jesus Christ The Exorcist are all proper double albums, but the second disc of albums like One and The Grand Experiment are bonus discs and should not be factored in.

If there is any confusion or you have any questions, feel free to PM me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Countdown:

25 Flying Colors - Third Degree
24 Neal Morse - Lifeline
23 Neal Morse - Momentum
22 Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
21 Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope
20 Spock's Beard - Day for Night
19 Flying Colors - Second Nature
18 Transatlantic - The Absolute Universe
17 Neal Morse - Testimony
16 Neal Morse Band - Innocence and Danger
15 Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
14 Spock's Beard - The Light
13 Neal Morse - Testimony 2
12 Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment
11 Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure
10 Spock's Beard - Snow
09 Spock's Beard - V
08 Flying Colors - Flying Colors
07 Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura
06 Neal Morse - One
05 Neal Morse - ?
04 Transatlantic - SMPTe
03 Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
02 Neal Morse Band - The Similitude of a Dream
01 Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever

[The Letter M]

Following and participating!!!

Even with all the stipulations, I think I can come up with 25 albums with Neal as a primary writer. I think I'll likely include all six of his Spock's Beard albums, and probably all five Transatlantic albums, so I'm already nearly halfway there. As for the other fourteen albums, they'll probably include the four NMB albums, three will be Flying Colors, and then the remaining seven will be picked from his solo prog output. Boom - twenty-five albums.

Now to rank them... 

If you want a full typed out list of most-likely candidates (SB, TA, Solo, NMB, and FC), here they are:

The Light (Spock's Beard)
Beware Of Darkness (Spock's Beard)
The Kindness Of Strangers (Spock's Beard)
Day For Night (Spock's Beard)
V (Spock's Beard)
Snow (Spock's Beard)
SMPT:e (Transatlantic)
Bridge Across Forever (Transatlantic)
The Whirlwind (Transatlantic)
Kaleidoscope (Transatlantic)
The Absolute Universe (Transatlantic)
Neal Morse (Morse Solo)
It's Not Too Late (Morse Solo)
Testimony (Morse Solo)
One (Morse Solo)
Question Mark (Morse Solo)
Sola Scriptura (Morse Solo)
Lifeline (Morse Solo)
Testimony 2 (Morse Solo)
Momentum (Morse Solo)
Sola Gratia (Morse Solo)
The Grand Experiment (The Neal Morse Band)
The Similitude Of A Dream (The Neal Morse Band)
The Great Adventure (The Neal Morse Band)
Innocence & Danger (The Neal Morse Band)
Flying Colors (Flying Colors)
Second Nature (Flying Colors)
Third Degree (Flying Colors)

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Good list!

I do not expect great support for any, but I would add Songs from November, Life and Times and The Exorcist to the list. 

[The Letter M]

Good list!

I do not expect great support for any, but I would add Songs from November, Life and Times and The Exorcist to the list.

Not having listened to those very often, if more than once, I forgot to consider them, but if folks want to toss them onto my list above, feel free too. I don't have much attachment to them, not that they're bad albums or anything, but when I want to listen to Neal, I prefer his proggier output instead. Even his first two solo albums, while good, only scratch the surface of that (outside of "A Whole 'Nother Trip"), and definitely fall in line with SFN and LAT. As for JCTE, I think I listened to it once.

-Marc.

[Mladen]

What a fantastic idea! I'm on it. 

[HOF]

I should be able to do this one. In.

[KevShmev]

I added Troika to the OP (forgot to mention that one).

[HOF]

I will have both Songs from November and Life and Times on my list if they are eligible. Can we vote for A Proggy Christmas? I guess that would fall under cover albums (there is one original on it at least!).

Nevermind, Troika gets me to 25 that I own!

[The Letter M]

I will have both Songs from November and Life and Times on my list if they are eligible. Can we vote for A Proggy Christmas? I guess that would fall under cover albums (there is one original on it at least!).

I figured that was disqualified due to being a (mostly) covers albums, even though there are some proggy rearrangements. What say you, Kev?

I added Troika to the OP (forgot to mention that one).

Oops, forgot about that one! It's so new, and I almost forgot it even came out only this year.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

I would say no to the proggy Christmas since it is mostly covers.

[The Realm]

Nice one. This should be a really interesting countdown and much harder to predict than the current DT albums countdown.

[KevShmev]

Five lists already submitted and accepted...nice! 

[Willthescout7]

I assume most of the Inner Circle releases are DQed, but what about his Worship series? Also, what is the status of To God be the Glory and Songs from the Highway? Pretty sure those are mostly originals and several of these songs are featured on his Ultimate Mix on Spotify.

[KevShmev]

The worship albums were listed as eligible in the OP, just FYI. 

[Willthescout7]

The worship albums were listed as eligible in the OP, just FYI. 

Sorry, I missed that. I had to rush out to a formation XD

[Kwyjibo]

So first time doing this (maybe).

Do you want the list typed out in a PM or should I sent an excel sheet?

Listed from 25 (worst) to 1 (best)?

[KevShmev]

Typed out in a PM is fine. Just make sure they are numbered.

[Stadler]

So, I'm not a Spock's guy; I don't have a full 25 albums to rate.  How do you see this going down?  Should I give you the top, say, 20 or whatever?  Or fill in the blanks from 20 (or whatever) to 25 so you have an entry?

[ronnibran]

Submitted my top 25 

[RoeDent]

So, I'm not a Spock's guy; I don't have a full 25 albums to rate.  How do you see this going down?  Should I give you the top, say, 20 or whatever?  Or fill in the blanks from 20 (or whatever) to 25 so you have an entry?

Simple solution there. Become a Spock's guy.

Seriously though I have the same problem. I worked it out and my count would only come to 18 albums, so it looks like I'll be sitting this one out.

[Kwyjibo]

I have 29 records to rank, so no problem there 

[KevShmev]

Hmmm, I was wondering if some might have trouble getting to 25. I would be fine with lowering it 20 if some of you who can't get to 25 can get to 20.

[HOF]

I did think 25 sounded ambitious, but I got to 25 anyway so either 20 or 25 is fine with me.

[The Realm]

I can try and get to 25 but I am also not a Spock's guy. I have only heard one of Neal's Spock's albums and that was years ago. I'll see how I go.

[Elite]

I can do a top 17 and fill up the rest without knowing the albums.

[Kram]

I'm a Spocks guy but not a worship guy.  Not sure I'm a fan of putting Flying Colors in there, as like the worship and singer songwriter stuff, it's a little different than the full on prog stuff.  What about doing a list just for Neal's prog stuff?  Spocks, NM solo, NMB and Transatlantic.

[The Letter M]

I'm a Spocks guy but not a worship guy.  Not sure I'm a fan of putting Flying Colors in there, as like the worship and singer songwriter stuff, it's a little different than the full on prog stuff.  What about doing a list just for Neal's prog stuff?  Spocks, NM solo, NMB and Transatlantic.

That only takes it up to 23 albums, 25 if you include Neal's first two solo albums, but they're mostly singer-songwriter stuff as well. Then there's A Proggy Christmas, which is proggy, but is mostly covers.

I'd say Flying Colors is "crossover prog" or "prog-adjacent" enough to be included. It's not much different than some of the stuff presented on early SB or the NMB albums.

-Marc.

[HOF]

I'd say outside of the first album, Flying Colors has been pretty heavily prog. And even on the first album you had Blue Ocean and Infinite Fire which are two pretty traditional Neal Morse prog tunes. Plus I don't think I'd want to limit Neal's stuff to prog/non-prog, because I think as highly of his more straight ahead pop stuff as I do the epic prog stuff.

[Kram]

I'm a Spocks guy but not a worship guy.  Not sure I'm a fan of putting Flying Colors in there, as like the worship and singer songwriter stuff, it's a little different than the full on prog stuff.  What about doing a list just for Neal's prog stuff?  Spocks, NM solo, NMB and Transatlantic.

That only takes it up to 23 albums, 25 if you include Neal's first two solo albums, but they're mostly singer-songwriter stuff as well. Then there's A Proggy Christmas, which is proggy, but is mostly covers.

I'd say Flying Colors is "crossover prog" or "prog-adjacent" enough to be included. It's not much different than some of the stuff presented on early SB or the NMB albums.

-Marc.

I think you came up with a new term, "prog-adjacent" lol.  I agree the FC albums are getting proggier and proggier - but still it's different to me (I guess it's mostly because Casey's the lead-singer and I like that it's different). And I don't think of FC's as "Neal's band", whereas NM era Spocks and TA I think of as "Neal's band", he's just a band member like the other 3 guys - and not the band leader if you will..

[The Letter M]

I'm a Spocks guy but not a worship guy.  Not sure I'm a fan of putting Flying Colors in there, as like the worship and singer songwriter stuff, it's a little different than the full on prog stuff.  What about doing a list just for Neal's prog stuff?  Spocks, NM solo, NMB and Transatlantic.

That only takes it up to 23 albums, 25 if you include Neal's first two solo albums, but they're mostly singer-songwriter stuff as well. Then there's A Proggy Christmas, which is proggy, but is mostly covers.

I'd say Flying Colors is "crossover prog" or "prog-adjacent" enough to be included. It's not much different than some of the stuff presented on early SB or the NMB albums.

-Marc.

I think you came up with a new term, "prog-adjacent" lol.  I agree the FC albums are getting proggier and proggier - but still it's different to me (I guess it's mostly because Casey's the lead-singer and I like that it's different). And I don't think of FC's as "Neal's band", whereas NM era Spocks and TA I think of as "Neal's band", he's just a band member like the other 3 guys - and not the band leader if you will..

Of all the albums discussed here so far, I would only qualify the first six SB albums and his solo records as him being the band leader, or being "Neal's band". Even in Transatlantic, where he shares writing duties with the other members, he's still only one contributing member and not the leader. Same goes for NMB, which has seen less and less of Neal's demos making it to the album and the inclusion of more ideas from Bill and Eric. Granted, his name is still in the band name, but I'd say Neal has as much say in FC as he does in NMB and TA, but not as much as his solo stuff or SB, where (for the most part) the writing can be solely traced back to Neal alone.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

I'm a Spocks guy but not a worship guy.  Not sure I'm a fan of putting Flying Colors in there, as like the worship and singer songwriter stuff, it's a little different than the full on prog stuff.  What about doing a list just for Neal's prog stuff?  Spocks, NM solo, NMB and Transatlantic.

Why would we do that?  Neal has more variety than some think across his history and restricting it to just prog albums/projects would be silly.  And honestly, this line of thinking, that seems to be ingrained in far too many of Neal's fans, is just bizarre.  I have never seen another artist whose fans go out of their way to try to separate their albums into categories like this.  A Neal Morse album is a Neal Morse album.  His singer/songwriter solo albums are just as much as Neal Morse albums as his prog albums are.

In short, this is the way we are doing this countdown, and I hope to see you submit a list.

[MinistroRaven]

Sent my list

[Willthescout7]

My list is sent.

It actually got up to 42 studio albums, but I only sent the top 25. Folk would be surprised with some of the ones that didn't make it. And I can see 3 or 4 of my top 10 going unranked when everyone else is factored in.

[KevShmev]

Up to 11 lists now! Would love to get to 20-25. 

[HOF]

Kev, on our submissions do you want album and band title, or just album title, or does it matter?