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Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

Started by Quadrochosis, October 31, 2009, 09:15:18 PM

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KevShmev

Yeah, the place he is playing in Kirkwood, MO next month is about 10-12 minutes from where I live, so I will be there for that. 

HOF

New song - "Already There" from the new singer/songwriter album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwIz8N1U3Zc

Not the greatest thing in the world, but I kind of dig it.

QuoteNeal Morse Unveils New Solo Album: "Late Bloomer"
Check out the track "Already There" here --> https://youtu.be/mwIz8N1U3Zc
Celebrated musician Neal Morse unveils his latest solo endeavor, "Late Bloomer," a soulful collection of singer-songwriter gems poised to captivate listeners worldwide. Known for his dynamic contributions to progressive rock, Morse explores new sonic territories with this deeply personal offering, slated for release on Fri May 17th, 2024.
"In between all of the other projects I've been working on, writing songs has been part of my life, pretty much every day," Morse shares. "It's an unpredictable process ... sometimes I'm just inspired by what I see, or by my family, or the news... and sometimes melodies and words just appear!"
Recorded primarily at his home studio, Morse took the reins, crafting the album's musical landscape virtually single-handedly. While Amy Pippin and Julie Harrison provided backing vocals and Chris Carmichael contributed strings, "Late Bloomer" is a testament to Morse's creative vision and versatility.
The album's genesis traces back to late 2023 when Morse found himself on a creative spree, birthing a flurry of "singer-songwriter" compositions. Following a rousing reception to the songs debuted at Morsefest in London in early 2024, Morse was spurred to finalize the project for eager fans.
"The songs cover a whole range of styles," Morse explains. "From the bluesy, soulful vibe of 'Already There' to the autobiographical narratives woven into tracks like 'Late Bloomer' and 'Chloe's Song,' each composition offers a glimpse into my personal journey."
With the album artwork meticulously crafted by Levi Pippin, Morse embraces a grassroots approach to bring "Late Bloomer" directly to his audience through Waterfall, ensuring swift accessibility to his loyal fanbase.
As Morse prepares for upcoming solo concerts and church services, he eagerly anticipates sharing "Late Bloomer" with the world, inviting listeners to join him on this introspective musical odyssey.
"Let me know what you think and which songs stand out for you via social media!" Morse encourages, inviting fans to engage with him directly.
"Late Bloomer" will initially be exclusively available on the waterfall streaming network - www.waterfallstreaming.com on Friday May 17th, 2024. Stay tuned for updates on physical CD/vinyl releases in the near future.

gmillerdrake

Quote from: KevShmev on May 15, 2024, 05:49:47 PM
Yeah, the place he is playing in Kirkwood, MO next month is about 10-12 minutes from where I live, so I will be there for that.

I think me and the boys are going to head there as well  :tup

KevShmev

Quote from: gmillerdrake on May 17, 2024, 03:04:30 PM
I think me and the boys are going to head there as well  :tup

Sweet!  Our two groups will probably account for six of the 19 people who will be there.  :lol :lol

ytserush

Was hoping to see this show like the last time but he's not coming anywhere near me, Enjoy, everyone!

devieira73


Cocopjojo

Quote from: devieira73 on May 19, 2024, 07:43:16 AM
NMB related:
https://www.ericgillettemusic.com/products/pre-sale
Really cool first single!
Awesome! Pre-ordered it.

In other news, I was at the Plant City, Florida show today, which was only about 90min from me. I don't know what I expected from an outdoor solo show in the middle of nowhere in Florida, but it was super fun. It was part of a church festival, so the vibe was awesome and everyone was really friendly. My kids got their faces painted and ate snow cones while he played. It was a great time.

I posted the setlist here: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/neal-morse/2024/downtown-plant-city-plant-city-fl-535637a1.html

The Letter M

From Neal's May Inner Circle Newsletter he sent out today:

Quote

Neal Morse & The Resonance

I'm not ready to divulge the name of the album or the album cover yet, because that would be jumping the gun. (We haven't even delivered it to Inside/Out yet.) My mind has primarily been on that project this month, and the Late Bloomer album, too, which I actually finished several months ago.

I'm really happy with how this album has turned out. There's a lot of new ideas here. For one thing, this new group, I wouldn't call it a "band" yet, because all we've done is just work together in the studio.

I was hearing a lot of higher range vocals, like in Jon Anderson's range, shall we say, and another guy in the group has a really interesting voice, but I felt like we still needed a third instrument. I had been talking to different singers and nothing was panning out and then I contacted Gabe Klein, who gave me Johnny Bisaha's phone number. We talked, and he came over as soon as we could meet, which was about five days later, and listened to the music.

He loved it and started singing for me a little bit and I thought, "oh man, he's the guy!" And so, he's sung lead vocals and harmonies on a bunch of these tracks and I hope and think that you guys are going to really, really love it.

If I didn't announce it before, the musicians are Philip Martin and Joe Ganzelli on the drums. Philip got the gig teching with Steve Morse and had to leave on April 14th, and we didn't have all the music recorded. So, Andre Madatian's friend Joe came and played drums and did a great job. So, we have two different drummers and then we have Andre Madatian on guitar and orchestrations. Then, we have Chris Riley, also a great artist and writer in his own right, and he's a multi-instrumentalist and playing a little bit of everything on this album, as am I.

There's a lot of different vocals, a lot of different sections, and it's very progressive. If I was going to compare it to an album I've done in the past, as far as the structure of it, it might be along the lines of a Bridge Across Forever, Question Mark, or a Spock's Beard V, maybe. I don't know how other people will receive it, but that's how I think of it.

There's two really long epics and then three shorter songs that will be sandwiched in between. And there's a lot of different stuff on here. There's new sounds...I bought a stand-up bass and played it on the album for the first time. There's even a kind of hip-hop vibe in one song!

We're going to deliver it in June for release in November.


I suppose we're looking at a new prog album from Neal later this year! I wonder if the lyrics will skew more secular than religious, given that he's compared it (at least musically) to BAF, ?, and V. Either way, if the playing is good, I might pick this up. It's interesting to see that it'll be coming out through Inside Out, and since it's just a studio project so far, and not a band per se, I wonder if this will just be another one-off thing for him.

-Marc.

hefdaddy42

Quote from: BlobVanDam on December 11, 2014, 08:19:46 PMHef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

KevShmev

Yeesh, I don't recognize any of the names Neal mentioned as being on this record.  I will freely admit to not being nearly as excited about new stuff by Neal given that his last few solo albums were a bit ho-hum and NMB seems destined to be on the backburner for a long time with Portnoy now being in DT and his focus being there.  I obviously can't complain considering how much great music Neal has given us over the years, but I'd love to see his take advantage of this open slate by trying some new stuff instead of churning out more of the same old prog but with different players.

gborland

Quote from: KevShmev on June 11, 2024, 07:16:06 PM
I'd love to see his take advantage of this open slate

Reunions of classic lineups seem to be all the rage these days.  :corn

OpenYourEyes311

I mean, I like those albums that he mentioned. But as mentioned, Neal's solo output has not been my favorite as of late. If this hits Apple Music I'll take a listen.

I don't know why, but him noting that one song has a hip-hop vibe reminded me of the Styx song "High Crimes and Misdemeanors"

MinistroRaven


hefdaddy42

Quote from: BlobVanDam on December 11, 2014, 08:19:46 PMHef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

Jamesman42

I had so many ideas to create music in my 20s, before settling down. I probably had enough to make a prog album if I found the time and friends to help contribute. I really wanted to make one. Still do, maybe if I can get my kids to learn instruments.

Even then, I wouldn't pay for this and I love NM. Strikes me as an odd product.
\o\ lol /o/

ReaperKK

James let me know if you want to lay the most mid guitar solo possible on your record :lol

Quote from: MinistroRaven on June 12, 2024, 07:13:11 AM
Something Neal've NEVER done:

https://nealmorse.com/product/how-to-make-a-progressive-rock-album-by-neal-morse/

This is interesting. Looking at the contents to me the biggest struggle has been developing a melody into a full-fledged song and that's just one part of his series :lol

Jamesman42

I would need electric guitar actually :lol

The idea is nice but the pricing is so high. And like dad said, how big could the market for this be? More power to him.

\o\ lol /o/

TheHoveringSojourn808

Stay out of the sun, because it is the worst thing in terms of aging. I'm very medical. I come from a medical family. - Nicole Kidman

KevShmev

I am sure Neal will make some money from that, but at the risk of being a spoil sport, it feels like most of the best progressive rock comes from a more natural approach, as opposed to following a playbook of how to make a progressive rock album.

Metro

I mean, if anyone knows how to make a prog rock album, it's him. He has it down to a science at this point.

HOF

Quote from: The Letter M on June 11, 2024, 12:19:54 PM
From Neal's May Inner Circle Newsletter he sent out today:

I suppose we're looking at a new prog album from Neal later this year! I wonder if the lyrics will skew more secular than religious, given that he's compared it (at least musically) to BAF, ?, and V. Either way, if the playing is good, I might pick this up. It's interesting to see that it'll be coming out through Inside Out, and since it's just a studio project so far, and not a band per se, I wonder if this will just be another one-off thing for him.

-Marc.

This actually sounds quite promising.

Mosh

Quote from: KevShmev on June 12, 2024, 08:07:03 PM
I am sure Neal will make some money from that, but at the risk of being a spoil sport, it feels like most of the best progressive rock comes from a more natural approach, as opposed to following a playbook of how to make a progressive rock album.
I was assuming that it was going to go into more of the practical elements of recording/producing, which is probably a more rote process than writing music. It makes sense for a web series IMO.

Ben_Jamin

The price is understandable since it is a masterclass with what seems like an online class, along with an exam at the end of each week.

I think it'd be neat, if they offered a class like this by a known artist at our university, I'd take it. This seems no different from such a class.


hefdaddy42

Quote from: Jamesman42 on June 12, 2024, 07:18:29 PM
The idea is nice but the pricing is so high. And like dad said, how big could the market for this be? More power to him.
I actually think the price is reasonable.
Quote from: BlobVanDam on December 11, 2014, 08:19:46 PMHef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

Jamesman42

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on June 13, 2024, 05:59:29 AM
I actually think the price is reasonable.

How so? I'm not going to pretend to understand how this sort of stuff works.
\o\ lol /o/

hefdaddy42

An expert in his field, telling you how to do (a version of) what he does, the practices of which he has honed over decades, for $500?

A bargain.  What makes you think that should be less?
Quote from: BlobVanDam on December 11, 2014, 08:19:46 PMHef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

Jamesman42

No, good point. I was coming at it as "that's a lot of money". I tutor math and charge what seems like a lot but my skills are valuable to a a subset of people.
\o\ lol /o/

Stadler

Quote from: Jamesman42 on June 13, 2024, 06:33:21 AM
No, good point. I was coming at it as "that's a lot of money". I tutor math and charge what seems like a lot but my skills are valuable to a a subset of people.

It's a lot of money if you're viewing this as a sort of "meet and greet".  I've taken one of Neal's master classes in the past (I signed my daughter up as well, since she was taking a music composition class in college) and it was fascinating.  But since I've produced exactly 0:00 seconds of music since that time, it's not really a valid expense for me.  But if you have half an album in the can and are struggling with how to wrap it all together, I would do something like this in a heartbeat.

I think your intent just needs to be pure for it to really be money well spent.  (Maybe not, though, that's an individual call.)

Jamesman42

Good points as well. I think that is the crux, can you justify $500 on this? If I asked my wife, she would likely balk at the idea. I'm sure Neal has a cool thing here, not arguing that.
\o\ lol /o/

ErHaO

Yeah I think that price is fair. If I see what the average course or tutor session costs for any field. Hell, a solo singing lesson of less than an hour is already like 70+ euros here. But this is more comparable to a course. Which are usually easily 1000+ euro's here (if not some student discount or a heavily subsidized cultural thing).

Stadler

Quote from: Jamesman42 on June 13, 2024, 07:56:10 AM
Good points as well. I think that is the crux, can you justify $500 on this? If I asked my wife, she would likely balk at the idea. I'm sure Neal has a cool thing here, not arguing that.

Take that money and go to Morsefest, IMO.  I went - finally! - last year, and while I have few regrets in my life, one of them now is not going to Morsefest each year over the years (ESPECIALLY the Transatlantic shows).   What a lost opportunity for me.

hefdaddy42

Yeah, I wish I had gone to some of those shows as well.
Quote from: BlobVanDam on December 11, 2014, 08:19:46 PMHef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

KevShmev

Morsefest '18 was good (the one with the three Spock's guys and then the Exorcist night 2), but '17 (T2 night one, Similitude night 2) and '22 (Transatlantic both nights) were some of the best concert experiences of my 30+ years of going to shows. 

gmillerdrake

Quote from: Stadler on June 13, 2024, 09:08:54 AM
while I have few regrets in my life, one of them now is not going to Morsefest each year over the years (ESPECIALLY the Transatlantic shows).   What a lost opportunity for me.

same. I should have made more of an effort to get to a couple of those. KevShmev tried to convince me many times and I just didn't make it happen. Major mistake

OpenYourEyes311

If I could have made all of the Morsefests, I would have. Was at '17, which is in my Mt. Rushmore of shows, and '21, which was an amazing experience in itself, even if I did miss half of Night 1 due to a blowout on the highway at 3am (and the fact that they started at like 2pm... I would have made it if not for the early start time!!) The atmosphere in the church is rare for a show. You know as soon as you get there that it's a special place and you're in for quite an evening.