I had been reading the most glowing remarks about Neal Morse for several years so I finally checked out the first Spocks Beard album (Light something). I liked it for the first few minutes despite disliking the vocals. I thought it sounded quite a bit like Gentle Giant which I decided was the best thing it had going for it. I gave up shortly after. For those who like the band, is there a better album I might have chosen? There must be a reason for all the praise.
Try V or Day for Night similar but different vibe. Better songs IMHO.
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It depends on what prog you already like. Beware of Darkness or V might be bettter if you like GG.
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"The Light" was the first album that won me over. Hard to believe it is more than 20 years old now, but when it first came out it was quite unique. My favorite Spock's album is "V", but if you don't like Neal's vocals not sure you would like it any better. Once Neal left the band Nick became the lead singer then later Ted Leonard so you might like those albums better.Originally Posted by llanwydd
I would try V. But if you don't like Neal's vocals, i dunno. Neal is more a package deal, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter. Also, there's context to the time the Spock's albums were released in the mid 90's, when prog music was just awakening from a long slumber. I can't really say buying those albums today would have the same impact as back then. Especially an album like The Light. Today Neal Morse releases Christian Prog albums, and his fan base is squarely in his back pocket.
Try 29 years, released in 1995.
If you don't dig his vocals, it's gonna be a hard slog. He always reminded me of those 90's boys band vocals, which is the reason I generally don't listen to his stuff except for the 1st Transatlantic album and Kirk's Beard V.
I'd recommend V if you must. The white-bread vocals (which have that pre-rock & roll harmony group sound) are still a drag, but the songwriting and arranging are more consistent. The Light always sounded to me like random unfinished song fragments pasted together haphazardly. The cheesy 80s/90s AOR/MOR pop tendencies, which are alas present in all their music (and all Neal Morse projects to a degree), are a bit tempered on V. But if they're not for you, they're not for you. They're not for me, either.
Last edited by Progbear; 03-18-2024 at 08:22 PM.
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Like Genesis and Gabriel, there are 2 incarnations of Spock's Beard : The Morse era, and post-Morse.
I believe the best Morse-era album was the last : Snow.
For post-Morse, I'd suggest Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep.
Regards,
Duncan
I was just going to recommend this one as a starter CD for any newbie. But you sort of beat me to it... At this point in time, 2024, it is my go-to Beard album from any era. For me, Neal has always been too much of a ham. Not that I have disliked his era, far from it, but my ears have grown tired of him and his approach.
I was nuts over Spock's Beard around 2000-2002. I lost interest after Feel Euphoria (good album, imo). Never cared much for Snow. I think if I had to pick a favorite album it would be Beware of Darkness. It was the first SB album I ever bought.
I find the vocals on The Light a little over the top, even by Neal standards. The way he yells "I am catfish man et cetera" in the title track, and repeatedly yelling "f*** you" in the Water.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
Thanks for all the recommendations. I guess V is next.
I think the general consensus is that V and Beware of Darkness are their two most consistently lauded albums. But if all I have ever hear is “The Light”, I wouldn’t jump to V, I’d go to Beware of Darkness or A Kindness of Strangers. V is kind of a culmination that might get lost if heard out of order imo.
I am a Morse fan, so the post-Morse beard does little or nothing for me. Morse has a solo career filled with several good to great records. But he can also be a lot to take, and too prolific. He is still capable of creating good music but those moments are fewer and far between.
WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.
Snow is their masterpiece!
I think V is the most accessible of the Morse era. "At The End Of The Day" is filled with ear worms and a great emotional section. On the other hand, Snow is a tour de force of absolute cringe.
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Kindness of Strangers is my favourite album of theirs with the CSN-like June being the best track - which leads to the recent Morse D'Virgilio Jennings albums. Snow is my least fav. I really like Neal's voice which I know many don't.
Last edited by everyday; 03-21-2024 at 06:43 AM.
Snow is their masterpiece
i have a strong feeling i'm going to be in the minority here. (of course, i'm used to that)
i find most of neil morse's stuff too grandiose for my tastes. imo, SB was at its best with ted leonard as the front-man. personally, my favorite is 'brief nocturnes and dreamless sleep'
I have that feeling too, but my vote goes to The Light, because that's where it started for me and on that album the band was making music on a slightly naive but professional manner. I have that same feeling with the first Dream Theater. Yes, most CD's after the debut were stronger, but are less surprising for me. Well, finally it might have something to do with the presence of Kevin Gilbert during the recording of The Light too!
I count myself amongst the SB fanbase but don't love everything they did. I don't like The Light, except I do like one song, Go The Way You Go. I like parts of all of them but never liked sitting all the way thru any of them. That includes Neal era, NDV era or Ted era. I sometimes jokingly referred to the NDV era as Suped-up Billy Joel.
Snow has a masterpiece buried in it somewhere, maybe. Needs a shovel.
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Ha, finally I see someone with the same opinion as mine. I never got praise heaped on Snow upon release, I just never got it, just like I also don't get much of Morse's solo-output beyond Testimony.
Oh man, do the planet a favour & take your dodgy music collection to the recycling centre.
I'm not a fan of Spock's Beard. That said, I like V and Snow.
I loved Spock's Beard initially. Snow was like finding an oasis in the desert and I was so happy to find someone still making prog rock (in 2002/2003). That's still probably my favorite SB album. I think it has a ton of catchy stuff on it. Over the years I just started noticing I wasn't drawn to them much and when I'd try to go back to their albums they just didn't hold up for me that well aside from a few tunes. The NDV era held much less interest for me. I really enjoyed Brief Nocturnes and played it a bunch before I eventually wore out its welcome.
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