Official Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

[Stadler]

I've heard the record.  I object to the flowery, pandering language ("the most sizzling keyboard solo imaginable"?  Mmmkay.) but the sentiment is pretty spot on.  This is a solid, well-rounded record.   If you're committed to TSOAD and TGA, this might not be at that level of complexity, but for me, those two haven't resonated quite as much and this has the potential to be my favorite of the NMB albums (though "Alive Again" is my favorite epic, so there's that to overcome).

I was doing some house work (painting and installation of a closet organizer) while listening to it I was struck by two points that the author mentions in his review:   one, there are a LOT of moments where I went "wow, that's Yes from [insert song]", or "wow, that's Genesis, the melody line from [insert song]" and while that sounds like a cop out, it almost always precedes something that is almost entirely unique to NMB.  Not ONCE in listening to that entire record (multiple times) did I ever think "Wow is this derivative".  It's NMB, and there's a voice, a style to it that is all it's own.

Second, this is BY FAR the most secular NMB or Neal Morse album I've heard.  I'm really good about overlooking the more obvious Jesus/God references, and I'm prone to using my own interpretations ("Supernatural" is one of my favorite Neal songs, and for me that song is just about general love and positivity, not the ethereal, "supernatural" nature of God's love).  There isn't much effort needed to bring these songs from a religious perspective to a more general LIFE perspective.  I don't know how old Bill is, but Neal is 61 and Mike is 54, and the lyrics on this record are VERY MUCH in keeping with the conflicting emotions of a man looking backward as much as looking forward.   “The Way It Had To Be” falls very much in this vein; the first time I listened to the album, I went over and replayed this song twice more before moving on to the next piece.    I can only speak for myself, but as a man, a father, a son, who has gone through divorces and is watching his parents fade (for lack of a better word) those words resonate in a way that few songs by any artist do.    Bird On A Wire is by far my favorite song on this record; the chorus is one for the ages, if you like those choruses that just pop into your head at random times.   "Bridge..." is WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY better than it has any business being and the comparison to "America" (also a S&G song) is apt.   The epics are good, but they are, as the author said, a lot to digest.  I'm sorry he didn't mention it, but the first couple minutes of "Beyond The Years" is jarring, coming directly from Disney such as it does. 

[darkshade]

Disney... ugh

It's like calling music one doesn't understand, as "video game music", or some such type of comment. I've heard that kind of comment so much in regards to anything that is technical sounding.

At the same time, too many bands and artists seem to be ripping off Disney sounding motifs in recent years.

Ironically, a song like "Circle of Life" sounds like a prog tune from Genesis, especially if you speed it up.
Go listen to that song on youtube and adjust the speed to 1.75 https://youtu.be/IwH9YvhPN7c

[HOF]

Disney... ugh

It's like calling music one doesn't understand, as "video game music", or some such type of comment. I've heard that kind of comment so much in regards to anything that is technical sounding.

At the same time, too many bands and artists seem to be ripping off Disney sounding motifs in recent years.

Ironically, a song like "Circle of Life" sounds like a prog tune from Genesis, especially if you speed it up.
Go listen to that song on youtube and adjust the speed to 1.75 https://youtu.be/IwH9YvhPN7c

LOL, that was kind of fun!

[darkshade]

Disney... ugh

It's like calling music one doesn't understand, as "video game music", or some such type of comment. I've heard that kind of comment so much in regards to anything that is technical sounding.

At the same time, too many bands and artists seem to be ripping off Disney sounding motifs in recent years.

Ironically, a song like "Circle of Life" sounds like a prog tune from Genesis, especially if you speed it up.
Go listen to that song on youtube and adjust the speed to 1.75 https://youtu.be/IwH9YvhPN7c

LOL, that was kind of fun!

I actually prefer the song at that tempo 

[Stadler]

Disney... ugh

It's like calling music one doesn't understand, as "video game music", or some such type of comment. I've heard that kind of comment so much in regards to anything that is technical sounding.

At the same time, too many bands and artists seem to be ripping off Disney sounding motifs in recent years.

Ironically, a song like "Circle of Life" sounds like a prog tune from Genesis, especially if you speed it up.
Go listen to that song on youtube and adjust the speed to 1.75 https://youtu.be/IwH9YvhPN7c

I wasn't dismissing it or diminishing it.   I was just noting that it was music that was evocative of a different mood than you'd expect from a double-disk prog extravaganza by Neil, Mike, Randy, Bill and Eric.   It IS a bit jarring, in the same way that sometimes Jordan's "ragtime" interludes in his solos can be jarring in the context of an album-length prog concept record.   

[darkshade]

Disney... ugh

It's like calling music one doesn't understand, as "video game music", or some such type of comment. I've heard that kind of comment so much in regards to anything that is technical sounding.

At the same time, too many bands and artists seem to be ripping off Disney sounding motifs in recent years.

Ironically, a song like "Circle of Life" sounds like a prog tune from Genesis, especially if you speed it up.
Go listen to that song on youtube and adjust the speed to 1.75 https://youtu.be/IwH9YvhPN7c

I wasn't dismissing it or diminishing it.   I was just noting that it was music that was evocative of a different mood than you'd expect from a double-disk prog extravaganza by Neil, Mike, Randy, Bill and Eric.   It IS a bit jarring, in the same way that sometimes Jordan's "ragtime" interludes in his solos can be jarring in the context of an album-length prog concept record.

I wasn't directing my comment at you. I obviously haven't heard the music yet, so you may be right. The Astonishing is littered with "disney-isms" I guess.
Even Spock's Beard's Falling For Forever, part of the main 'chorus' sounds just like something from The Little Mermaid.

There is music that came from Disney that doesn't sound like stereotypical Disney music from late 80s/early 90s movies like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, or Aladdin. But when something musical does sounds like it came from one of those movies, it's labelled "disney music" and I feel like there's better ways to describe it.

[Stadler]

Since you didn't hear it, more detail:  you've got essentially, what, an hour of full-on PROG, that evokes Genesis, Yes, and even a little Floyd and ELP all at the height of their powers. You've got an essentially PROG-tastic presentation of a staid, guitar-vocal ballad by Simon and Garfunkel, then you have 20 more minutes of PROG ridiculousness, then you have this symphony part that reminds of the Tinker Bell theme (especially the end of this clip) it just grabs your attention.   As it would if there was thrash guitars and can has blast beats.   Or a hip-hop rap interlude.   There's no judgement, just description.

[MinistroRaven]

I didn´t love it after a couple of listens, but it has grown A LOT on me.
I think every NM fan will like this album.

[The Letter M]

I didn´t love it after a couple of listens, but it has grown A LOT on me.
I think every NM fan will like this album.

I like a good "Take your time with it" album, and since I&D is a double, I'm sure there's a lot to digest. I cannot wait for it! The next two* weeks will be a long wait!

I say "two" cuz it could be longer depending on whenever Radiant ships out my order...

-Marc.

[Stadler]

I've been on a sort of Transatlantic kick because of the ticket sales (the Tilburg show from More Is Never Enough is just breathtaking) but I find myself coming back to this a lot.  This is a SOLID record.  I might even think it's their best (of the NMB records).

[KevShmev]

I've been on a sort of Transatlantic kick because of the ticket sales (the Tilburg show from More Is Never Enough is just breathtaking) but I find myself coming back to this a lot.  This is a SOLID record.  I might even think it's their best (of the NMB records).

It better be a lot better than just "SOLID" if it is going to top Similitude or The Grand Experiment.

[Stadler]

I've been on a sort of Transatlantic kick because of the ticket sales (the Tilburg show from More Is Never Enough is just breathtaking) but I find myself coming back to this a lot.  This is a SOLID record.  I might even think it's their best (of the NMB records).

It better be a lot better than just "SOLID" if it is going to top Similitude or The Grand Experiment.

Neither of them have really clicked with me.  They are both "solid" records; good, but not mind-blowing.  I know, that's just me, but still.

Of the NMB records:

1. Innocence & Danger
1. The Grand Experiment
2. Similitude
2.5: TGA

[KevShmev]

I've been on a sort of Transatlantic kick because of the ticket sales (the Tilburg show from More Is Never Enough is just breathtaking) but I find myself coming back to this a lot.  This is a SOLID record.  I might even think it's their best (of the NMB records).

It better be a lot better than just "SOLID" if it is going to top Similitude or The Grand Experiment.

Neither of them have really clicked with me.  They are both "solid" records; good, but not mind-blowing.  I know, that's just me, but still.

Of the NMB records:

1. Innocence & Danger
1. The Grand Experiment
2. Similitude
2.5: TGA

Fair enough.  Similitude is a top 10 all-timer for me now, and I think The Grand Experiment has three of the best songs Neal has ever been a part of (The Call, Waterfall and Alive Again), so both will be hard to equal or top. Based on the first two songs the general pubic has gotten so far from Innocence & Danger, I am pretty optimistic that it will be top The Great Adventure, which I thought was quite good, but not great overall.

[Stadler]

I've been on a sort of Transatlantic kick because of the ticket sales (the Tilburg show from More Is Never Enough is just breathtaking) but I find myself coming back to this a lot.  This is a SOLID record.  I might even think it's their best (of the NMB records).

It better be a lot better than just "SOLID" if it is going to top Similitude or The Grand Experiment.

Neither of them have really clicked with me.  They are both "solid" records; good, but not mind-blowing.  I know, that's just me, but still.

Of the NMB records:

1. Innocence & Danger
1. The Grand Experiment
2. Similitude
2.5: TGA

Fair enough.  Similitude is a top 10 all-timer for me now, and I think The Grand Experiment has three of the best songs Neal has ever been a part of (The Call, Waterfall and Alive Again), so both will be hard to equal or top. Based on the first two songs the general pubic has gotten so far from Innocence & Danger, I am pretty optimistic that it will be top The Great Adventure, which I thought was quite good, but not great overall.

We agree; that's why it's so high on my list (Alive Again is my fav NM epic).   I think there are a couple on I&D that approach that.  Bird On A Wire, The Way It Had To Be... there's one other but I'm not up on all the titles yet.  Might be Not Afraid Pt. 1. 

[KevShmev]

We agree; that's why it's so high on my list (Alive Again is my fav NM epic).   I think there are a couple on I&D that approach that.  Bird On A Wire, The Way It Had To Be... there's one other but I'm not up on all the titles yet.  Might be Not Afraid Pt. 1.

13 days till the rest of us get it! 

I can't say I love Alive Again as much as my two favorites by TA (All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul), but it might be my 3rd favorite when talking those of "sidelong" length (17 minutes-ish or longer).  The Separated Man and Seeds of Gold would be its competition for that 3rd slot.  And of course I cannot forget about Duel with the Devil or So Many Roads!  So many!!!

[Stadler]

We agree; that's why it's so high on my list (Alive Again is my fav NM epic).   I think there are a couple on I&D that approach that.  Bird On A Wire, The Way It Had To Be... there's one other but I'm not up on all the titles yet.  Might be Not Afraid Pt. 1.

13 days till the rest of us get it! 

I can't say I love Alive Again as much as my two favorites by TA (All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul), but it might be 3rd favorite when talking those of "sidelong" length (17 minutes-ish or longer).  The Separated Man and Seeds of Gold would be its competition for that 3rd slot.

Seeds Of Gold is my number two (and it's close).

[KevShmev]

Damn, you replied fast.  I thought I could get my edit in quickly there above. 

[bosk1]

I haven't heard the new one yet.  But for my tastes, each of the NMB albums has been better than the last. 

TGE felt very much in the vein of the past few NM solo albums, but a bit better and so staring an upward trajectory.  For Neal, it was "yeah, this is pretty good.  I like it."

Similitude took a huge leap forward on that upward trajectory for me.  I thought it was pretty great.

TGA took everything I loved about Similitude and again took a huge leap forward for me.  I put it up there with the best of the best Neal albums.

If the new one continues that trajectory, I may need a sedative.

[The Letter M]

I've been on a sort of Transatlantic kick because of the ticket sales (the Tilburg show from More Is Never Enough is just breathtaking) but I find myself coming back to this a lot.  This is a SOLID record.  I might even think it's their best (of the NMB records).

People actually watch/listen to More Never Is Enough?! 

I mean, I own it too, but it rarely ever gets attention since the Whirld Tour 2010 show is just so iconic. I think ive gone through More Never Is Enough maybe 2 or 3 times in the decade since its release. I still love how Mike kind of jokingly ragged on Neal about releasing two live sets from the Whirld Tour, pointing out that Transatlantic would have more live albums than studio albums.

-Marc.

[425]

I got More Never is Enough before I ever got Whirld Tour, since I got into the band after both had already come out, and MNiE was a better value for the money (I think the 3CD/2DVD set was the same price as either the DVD or the CDs for Whirld Tour). I later picked up Whirld Tour via Radiant sales, and if you asked me now I'd say it's the higher-quality release, but since I obsessed over MNiE for a while, it has a special place for me.

Even though it's kind of silly in a sense that they released both, I'm glad both exist because, to me, that is one of the best setlists of all time, and TA is an incredible live band that display some variation between performances. I'm happy to have the option to own three shows from that tour. Just like if I was a Yes die-hard, I would be glad the Seven Shows from Seventy-Two release exists, even though for my own purposes Yessongs is plenty.

[Stadler]

I got More Never is Enough before I ever got Whirld Tour, since I got into the band after both had already come out, and MNiE was a better value for the money (I think the 3CD/2DVD set was the same price as either the DVD or the CDs for Whirld Tour). I later picked up Whirld Tour via Radiant sales, and if you asked me now I'd say it's the higher-quality release, but since I obsessed over MNiE for a while, it has a special place for me.

Even though it's kind of silly in a sense that they released both, I'm glad both exist because, to me, that is one of the best setlists of all time, and TA is an incredible live band that display some variation between performances. I'm happy to have the option to own three shows from that tour. Just like if I was a Yes die-hard, I would be glad the Seven Shows from Seventy-Two release exists, even though for my own purposes Yessongs is plenty.

That last paragraph for me.  I've got three shows from that tour, and that's a bonus (to be fair, I don't WATCH it much, but I rip all my DVDs to audio for my network drive, so on my iPod I can pick any of the three shows if I want). 

[KevShmev]

Get ready for a normal DVD/Blu-ray release from the TA tour next year AND one from the Morsefest weekend. 

[faizoff]

I finally listened to Live in BRNO, having gotten the set right when it was released and was instantly transported to the show I attended in Orlando. Such a fun show and makes me appreciate the album a lot more due to their energy throughout.
I still have to watch the video and in gearing up for the new album and the Morsefest release I might as well go on a Neal Morse binge.



Fingers crossed on a timely arrival from Radiant. Though I don't think I'll mind waiting as releases are stacked for the next few weekends.

[The Letter M]

"Your Place In The Sun" will be the next single released from I&D, coming out after midnight tonight local time.

-Marc.

[emtee]

The last few times I've played The Alien official video, Do It All Again has followed. I gotta say, It's one hell of a song! I really love it. The last NM album I bought was ?. After that, I started to feel things were sounding too familiar. I'm going to jump back in and buy this one.

[The Letter M]

The last few times I've played The Alien official video, Do It All Again has followed. I gotta say, It's one hell of a song! I really love it. The last NM album I bought was ?. After that, I started to feel things were sounding too familiar. I'm going to jump back in and buy this one.

You mean you haven't bought a new NM album since late 2005??

You should definitely check out Sola Scriptura (2007), as it's quite different from the three albums that preceded it in that it's got some really heavy stuff on there (probably his heaviest solo album). I'd also suggest Testimony 2, and despite being a sequel to what's said to be a bloated double album, the follow-up is a lot better and streamlines the conceptual part of the album into a single disc, with a 2nd disc of 3 extra songs (including the fantastic "Seeds Of Gold", arguably one of his best epics ever). As far as the NMB go, I would suggest checking out their debut with The Grand Experiment, which is about as secular as Neal has gotten in the last 20 years, although some early reviews of I&D have pointed out that the new one is pretty secular as well.

-Marc.

[emtee]

I've heard all the albums. I just decided not to buy. Probably, knowing how I operate, I'll buy this one and work my way backward.

[The Letter M]

I've heard all the albums. I just decided not to buy. Probably, knowing how I operate, I'll buy this one and work my way backward.

Ahh okay, well that's not a bad idea at least. Hopefully you can find them all for reasonable prices. Neal will sometimes have huge discounts at Radiant Records when he's trying to clear stock, so keep an eye out for those if you are trying to buy his back catalog!

-Marc.

[faizoff]

I think starting with the rebranding to The Neal Morse Band, their albums have gotten really good. Granted only the first one (The Grand Experiment) is the only single disc release of the pack but they are all a great listen. I think I've listened to the 3 NMB albums far more than the solo ones.

The Morsefest releases are a joy to watch and listen to. The guys are having so much fun and it shows.

[The Letter M]

I think starting with the rebranding to The Neal Morse Band, their albums have gotten really good. Granted only the first one (The Grand Experiment) is the only single disc release of the pack but they are all a great listen. I think I've listened to the 3 NMB albums far more than the solo ones.

The Morsefest releases are a joy to watch and listen to. The guys are having so much fun and it shows.

The NMB performances at Morsefest have been breathtaking, to say the least, and offer the most definitive live representations of Neal's albums (when played whole), and that's in no small part to the NMB taking Neal's old albums and breathing new life into them. I think everything Neal and the NMB have done since 2014 has been nothing short of spectacular, which has me hyped up for the new album. I may have to rewatch all of the Morsefest shows in the next couple weeks to kind of gear myself up for the new album!

-Marc.

[faizoff]

I think starting with the rebranding to The Neal Morse Band, their albums have gotten really good. Granted only the first one (The Grand Experiment) is the only single disc release of the pack but they are all a great listen. I think I've listened to the 3 NMB albums far more than the solo ones.

The Morsefest releases are a joy to watch and listen to. The guys are having so much fun and it shows.

The NMB performances at Morsefest have been breathtaking, to say the least, and offer the most definitive live representations of Neal's albums (when played whole), and that's in no small part to the NMB taking Neal's old albums and breathing new life into them. I think everything Neal and the NMB have done since 2014 has been nothing short of spectacular, which has me hyped up for the new album. I may have to rewatch all of the Morsefest shows in the next couple weeks to kind of gear myself up for the new album!

-Marc.

Ditto.

Well said. I've begun my listen to all NMB records including the live ones. The stuff on the live album Alive Again is fantastic stuff too. The jams with the interchange of instruments is my favorite part.

[Peter Mc]

Got to say I’ve enjoyed all three singles released quite a bit.  I’d say more than most recent NM related albums (including Transatlantic) so I’m very much looking forward to the new album.  More than I have been for a while with NM.  Not that I haven’t enjoyed the recent albums when I got them, I’m just talking about how the singles made me feel pre-release.

[Fritzinger]

Got to say I’ve enjoyed all three singles released quite a bit.  I’d say more than most recent NM related albums (including Transatlantic) so I’m very much looking forward to the new album.  More than I have been for a while with NM.  Not that I haven’t enjoyed the recent albums when I got them, I’m just talking about how the singles made me feel pre-release.

Well, in my opinion, the last two NMB albums (The Great Adventure and The Similitude Of A Dream) were much stronger than the last two TA albums (Kaleidoscope and The Absolute Universe). That had me excited for the new NMB album even though I wasn't crazy about the last prog album Neal was "involved" with (The Absolute Universe).

[Stadler]

I was thinking about this in the car yesterday; Neal Morse is on a friggin' ROLL, and he may actually be my favorite artist right now.  I've been sort of juggling between Transatlantic and NMB over the last couple weeks and I don't see it waning any time soon.  It's just music that makes me feel GOOD.   

[TAC]

I was thinking about this in the car yesterday; Neal Morse is on a friggin' ROLL, and he may actually be my favorite artist right now.  I've been sort of juggling between Transatlantic and NMB over the last couple weeks and I don't see it waning any time soon.  It's just music that makes me feel GOOD.

That's great Stads. He seems legit. I just wished I liked his music more. I mean that.