Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

[Prog Snob]

That's great.   So what are some of the other things you have received as a member/

[The Letter M]

I got mine on Saturday night, but I just haven't had a chance to watch the whole thing yet. I did watch like 5-10 minutes of it, and it's weird seeing these guys as they were 10 years ago!!! Hard to believe that the ? is already 10 years old. I still remember when that album was NEW!

That's great.   So what are some of the other things you have received as a member/

If you look at Radiant Records' website, there's a place you can look at and order all of the IC back catalog. They're ordered by release date, with the oldest first, so if you start from the end of the list, you can see what was recently sent to IC members! I've been a member since November 2011 when the original demo album of A Proggy Christmas was released by Neal!

-Marc.

[Prog Snob]

Thanks M.  I'll probably order a couple of them at a time.  I haven't watched the new DVD yet but that's something I can do at work when it's quiet.

[ronnibran]

My personal favorites of the inner circle releases are demos from Neal's past.  Neal in the 80's and Neal in the 90's.  There's been a couple other discs I've gotten with random collections of unused demos.  The live stuff is good, but I'm not a huge live music fan so most of those I have listened to only once (or not at all). 

[Nihil-Morari]

Yeah those are great, and the Early Snow Demo's, all the making of DVD's, and there are many more. A while back there was a 50% off off all the Inner Circle releases. I believe I bought nearly 20 releases right away 

[ronnibran]

Got my order from Radiant in the mail today!!! 

[The Letter M]

Got my order from Radiant in the mail today!!! 

Wait, of the new album?!? WHOA!!! That's early! I should check my mail when I get home!!!

-Marc.

[ronnibran]

Oh, yes.  I'm afraid to start listening.  I get first listen anxiety with Neal Morse and Dream Theater.  I'll probably wait until tomorrow when I can crank it on headphones at work.  Nothing like some good old fashioned machine designing while rocking out to good tunes.

[Mindflux]

Got my order from Radiant in the mail today!!! 

Sounds like I need to check my mail.

[The Letter M]

Oh, yes.  I'm afraid to start listening.  I get first listen anxiety with Neal Morse and Dream Theater.  I'll probably wait until tomorrow when I can crank it on headphones at work.  Nothing like some good old fashioned machine designing while rocking out to good tunes.

Checked my mail last night and nothing. I hope I get it by the end of the week!!! I've been aching to hear this for so long!!!

-Marc.

[Counselor of Prog]

I just gave Transatlantic's Kaleidoscope its maiden spin.  Simply amazing. 

[ronnibran]

Me getting The Grand Experiment when I did may be a fluke.  My dad didn't get his yesterday, or today, and he lives only a few miles away (and I ordered them at the same time).

I've listened to the entire album a couple times now.  Obviously I like it, but it's too soon to compare it to Neal's other stuff (well, I probably could but I don't want to give a bunch of spoilers or anything).

[The Letter M]

Me getting The Grand Experiment when I did may be a fluke.  My dad didn't get his yesterday, or today, and he lives only a few miles away (and I ordered them at the same time).

I've listened to the entire album a couple times now.  Obviously I like it, but it's too soon to compare it to Neal's other stuff (well, I probably could but I don't want to give a bunch of spoilers or anything).

Probably not. I would've thought so had I not seen someone post on FB that they got their copy today as well, so I'm hopeful that I'll get mine this weekend. What state are you in? I'm in MD, which isn't entirely TOO far from Radiant Records, so I'll cross my fingers and see if it'll get here soon!!!

-Marc.

[ronnibran]

Grand Rapids, Michigan.

And of course, the album is a grower.  I'm finding I like it more with each listen.

[KevShmev]

When does this actually come out?

[ronnibran]

This coming Tuesday, February 10. 

And by calling the album a grower, that needs to be taken with a grain of salt.  I've only had a few listens (not that anyone was even questioning me).  I based that on the fact that my first listen left me with mixed feelings. 

[KevShmev]

Dang, I had no idea.

Guess I'll have to mosey on over to amazon next week and buy the mp3s.

[The Letter M]

I got my SIGNED copy in the mail today! Finishing my first spin in my car (every song on the main album except the previously released title track) and it sounds SO FRESH for Neal! The vocals are the real star on this album, and having the other members be given more prominent vocal parts is refreshing, not that I'm tired of Neal's voice but I like the group effort presented here! More thoughts over the weekend as I absorb this album.

-Marc.

[Mindflux]

I got my SIGNED copy in the mail today! Finishing my first spin in my car (every song on the main album except the previously released title track) and it sounds SO FRESH for Neal! The vocals are the real star on this album, and having the other members be given more prominent vocal parts is refreshing, not that I'm tired of Neal's voice but I like the group effort presented here! More thoughts over the weekend as I absorb this album.

-Marc.

Mine came too! Signed of course.

[OpenYourEyes311]

Me too! Me too! Signed and everything! IM SO EXCITED! gotta wait til tomorrow when the wife is at work to CRANK this album, but it'll be worth the wait.

[Nihil-Morari]

While everybody is getting their Grand Experiment, let me just say that the Making of ? was very cool to watch. A bit shorter than the other IC making of's were, and mostly a Mike Portnoy DVD, but he's the most entertaining to watch anyway A very cool dvd!

[The Letter M]

Glad to hear that other early-pre-orderers got their albums signed!!! I wonder how many DTF'ers here were part of the First 100 to get theirs signed? At least 3 or 4 so far!

Preliminary short review: The opening track is gorgeous and has some tasty bass and drum parts, which excite me a lot, but the vocals are the star here. Having almost the whole band pitch in on vocals helps create some lush and beautiful vocal moments. The title track is just as good as it has been since the music video came out, and "Waterfall" is a unique, almost 4-man Genesis-era-sounding ballad brought in by Bill, which is quickly growing on me. "Agenda" is a funky rocker with an Marillion-esque chorus (not the first Marillion-sounding moment on this album for me, either, which isn't a bad thing), and I think this might be one of the shortest songs Neal has done on a major prog album in a long time!

"Alive Again"...hoo boy, another amazing epic by Neal, and I'd love to say more about this one, but it'll take a lot more listens for me to absorb the whole thing, but first impressions have been VERY good! I just hate that it FADES OUT with what sounds like an epic jam-out ending. I'm sure they'll rock it out in the live version, but this is twice in a row that Neal has done this (previously with TA's "Kaleidoscope"). I sure hope we get a decent live version on the eventual "Alive Again Tour" live album (a multi-disc EXTRAVAGANZA as Neal puts it).
EDIT - the drum groove in 6 that Mike does after the initial instrumental/overture is surprisingly new for Mike, not quite like any groove I've heard him do before, and it totally caught me by surprise on my first listen!!!

The bonus disc tunes are pretty good, especially "New Jerusalem", but the "MacArthur Park" cover is a huge stand-out for me, which takes the classic epic-length rock song and gives it a huge prog-twist. There's a part in the middle that sounds like Seasons End-era Marillion, but the band seem to take the song and own it, much like Yes had done with "America".

All 8 studio album tracks are great, and this will be on my playlist for the next month (at least until SW's album comes out and into my mailbox).

-Marc.

[countoftuscany42]

just got my signed copy as well! 
can't wait to listen to it, this is the second time this week I've gotten an album before its release date, its a great feeling 

[goo-goo]

Signed copy here! Will listen to the album tomorrow on a drive to Texarkana, Arkansas.

[Nel]

Hoping to pick up the bonus track version on Tuesday along with the new Beardfish. 

[Nihil-Morari]

Glad to hear that other early-pre-orderers got their albums signed!!! I wonder how many DTF'ers here were part of the First 100 to get theirs signed? At least 3 or 4 so far!

Preliminary short review: The opening track is gorgeous and has some tasty bass and drum parts, which excite me a lot, but the vocals are the star here. Having almost the whole band pitch in on vocals helps create some lush and beautiful vocal moments. The title track is just as good as it has been since the music video came out, and "Waterfall" is a unique, almost 4-man Genesis-era-sounding ballad brought in by Bill, which is quickly growing on me. "Agenda" is a funky rocker with an Marillion-esque chorus (not the first Marillion-sounding moment on this album for me, either, which isn't a bad thing), and I think this might be one of the shortest songs Neal has done on a major prog album in a long time!

"Alive Again"...hoo boy, another amazing epic by Neal, and I'd love to say more about this one, but it'll take a lot more listens for me to absorb the whole thing, but first impressions have been VERY good! I just hate that it FADES OUT with what sounds like an epic jam-out ending. I'm sure they'll rock it out in the live version, but this is twice in a row that Neal has done this (previously with TA's "Kaleidoscope"). I sure hope we get a decent live version on the eventual "Alive Again Tour" live album (a multi-disc EXTRAVAGANZA as Neal puts it).
EDIT - the drum groove in 6 that Mike does after the initial instrumental/overture is surprisingly new for Mike, not quite like any groove I've heard him do before, and it totally caught me by surprise on my first listen!!!

The bonus disc tunes are pretty good, especially "New Jerusalem", but the "MacArthur Park" cover is a huge stand-out for me, which takes the classic epic-length rock song and gives it a huge prog-twist. There's a part in the middle that sounds like Seasons End-era Marillion, but the band seem to take the song and own it, much like Yes had done with "America".

All 8 studio album tracks are great, and this will be on my playlist for the next month (at least until SW's album comes out and into my mailbox).

-Marc.

[Scrub206]

Oh no....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cux2QH3ZyCo

[bosk1]

Oh no....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cux2QH3ZyCo

  I LOVE THAT! 

However, I will say that I find it odd that, if you aren't paying very close attention, it is easy to think that Neal and Mike are the only guys in the band.

[Mladen]

My God, that video!  Neal's got a great sense of humor. 

The tune is pretty sweet, the chorus is a grower, the only flaw is that I fear the thing with Neal yelling out "AGENDA" is gonna get old quickly.

[bosk1]

My God, that video!  Neal's got a great sense of humor. 

Reminds me of Talking Heads or Peter Gabriel.

[kirksnosehair]

I'm not very fond of "Agenda" or "Waterfall" and would have liked those two songs to appear on the bonus CD instead of the main CD.  I find the tracks on the bonus audio CD far more compelling.


The opening track is great.  And the closing epic is pretty good, too.  The rest is...decent.  Definitely need a few more spins, but I can already tell this one will end up a lot like "Lifeline" - I'll listen to a couple of the songs when I put it on, but I'll skip through quite a bit of it too.


I never thought I'd say this, but I think Neal is more inspired when he writes about his religious awakening.  There's a certain sparkle that is missing from this album. 

[Mindflux]

That video makes me cringe so hard.  Neal at his cheesiest.
 

[Counselor of Prog]

Oh, yes.  I'm afraid to start listening.  I get first listen anxiety with Neal Morse and Dream Theater.  I'll probably wait until tomorrow when I can crank it on headphones at work.  Nothing like some good old fashioned machine designing while rocking out to good tunes.

Checked my mail last night and nothing. I hope I get it by the end of the week!!! I've been aching to hear this for so long!!!

-Marc.

I never got an e-mail for either the older NM stuff or the new one...but The Grand Experiment arrived yesterday.  Yours should be here any day.  Enjoy!!

[bosk1]

That video makes me cringe so hard.  Neal at his cheesiest.
 

This is exactly why some people should not be allowed to have opinions. 

[Mindflux]

That video makes me cringe so hard.  Neal at his cheesiest.
 

This is exactly why some people should not be allowed to have opinions.

Everyone is allowed to have an opinion.  I like the song, not the video.